A white paper released here on Saturday on the livelihoods of Goa’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ) members has found that 63% of the community in employment had experienced verbal abuse at the work place.
This discrimination, according to 72% of the respondents, directly hinders their career growth.
The white paper — based on a random survey conducted by Goa Livelihood Forum(GLF) under the Forum for Integrated Development and Research(FIDR), an advocacy group on livelihood — said that 63% LGBTQ individuals said homophobia, and transphobia was a major problem while living in Goa.
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Significantly, 95% of the transgender population feels they do not have enough opportunities.
The white paper which has relied on a random survey conducted of adults from predominantly four taluks — Bardez, Tiswadi, Mormugao and Salcete — of Goa said that 87% transgenders left education as a result of homophobia/transphobia in educational institutions. Goa’s registered LGBTQ population is 3,000.
Among its various recommendations, the white paper calls for setting up of a special cell in the government, ideally under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (in Goa it is Ministry of Social Welfare) to deal with the issues and policies of LGBTQs.
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It says that 71% respondents referred to school or education as the place in which they experienced most discrimination, 36% said that their school experience was fairly bad and 57% experienced bullying, teasing in school on grounds of being LGBTQ. The percentage was close to 98% for transgenders.
Still, 77% of the LGBTQ individuals find Goa a “good place to live”.
The white paper was released during a day-long “celebration in the air” organised by Museum of Goa Foundation in association with Mumbai-based Hamsafar Trust, Goa Livelihood Forum and other groups of LGBTQ. As many as 50 artists put up their exhibits at the event attended by various LGBTQ celebrities from across the country.
Mentor of GLF Charudatta Panigrahi, who released the white paper, said that it was a first-of-its-kind initiative to reach out to the communities in Goa after the decriminalising of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
The document said that almost all LGBTQ individuals had proper permanent address, which was entirely an opposite scenario among transgender community.
In the context of decriminalisation of Section 377 of Indian Penal Code, 67% LGBTQ individuals feel that even after the decriminalisation, the current challenges of the community will not fade away. As many as 67% feel that to seek economic support from the government was futile.
Transgender activist Diana Dias present at the release of the Whitepaper said that the document was by no means a totally representative and comprehensive as it had depended on people who were contacted through leaders like her. Still a lot many may have been left out.
The white paper has admitted that it has enumerated data through personal meetings, collated information with the help of group discussions, and analysed situations and feedback from primary and secondary sources. as in many areas “coming out openly” was seen as a difficult thing for many.
The white paper says there is much to be done by the civil society, the government and private work places to secure the livelihoods of these communities. The skill gap in the community is appallingly wide and access to public schemes and facilities embarrassingly deficient.
Mr. Panigrahi said it was a unique attempt to study ground situations concerning livelihoods of the sexual minorities and the GLF has surveyed, generated and reviewed data with regard to discrimination against LGBTQs with a view to provide evidence-based threads to a detailed impact assessment on discrimination in the economy of Goa .
The report has made several recommendations which include, social attitudinal change towards communities, more education and communication opportunities, early life sensitisation for society, implementation of legal standards to protect them against violence, gender recognition by State authorities for speedy documentation, better access to healthcare, education and employment for the LGBTQ persons.