Sunil Menon is a fashion show director/model and an activist who started the NGO ‘Sahodaran’ for the cause of the LGBTQIA+ community and is actively aiding them since 1996.
- Could you please tell us a little about yourself sir? How did your journey as an activist start?
When I was doing my PhD in anthropology, I got an opportunity to work with the WHO for a project involving HIV and the high-risk behavior amongst vulnerable populations. I presented this paper’s findings at the International AIDS Conference in Berlin in June, 1993. I highlighted the risk of HIV amongst the LGBT population because up until then, HIV was seen as heterosexual driven in India. Wanting to help them and to create awareness among them, I started “Sahodaran” in 1996. We initially conducted training workshops gathering community members who were interested in doing social work and trained them under the aegis of Dr. Shivananda Khan, OBE, a British national of Indian origin. In 1998, we set up a drop-in centre with volunteers and staff working for us to create awareness, guide and protect the people of the LGBTQIA+ community.
- Who are the faces behind “Sahodaran” and what is your scope of work ?
“Sahodaran” is completely run by community members. Since I work with the marginalized community, I train them, empower them, help them take control of their lives and to reach out to people of their own community. We at “Sahodaran” extend our support to these socially excluded groups and provide the necessary help at the right time. We further work with medical institutions to provide special assistance to the said communities. We have a multisectoral approach including various stakeholders including Lawyers, the police, medical institutions and now educational institutions. We work with educational institutions to ensure quality education and proper placements to the members of the LGBTQA+ community since several members drop out at a very young age turn to begging and other deplorable jobs. Despite being talented, they are lead astray because of the constant harassment and bullying at schools, colleges, offices and the members of the public.
- How do we ensure empathy and fair treatment by the other members of the society towards the members of the LGBTQIA+ community?
It requires a lot of patience and sensitivity on both sides. A person of the LGBTQA+ community is under constant harassment and negative scrutiny. Other members of the society must understand that they are humans too with feelings and emotions. Educational Institutions and places of employment must create a safe environment for the members of the LGBTQA+ community. Other members of the society must also be taught to respect and treat everyone well irrespective of their gender or sexual orientation.
- What role does family play in the lives of the members of the LGBTQA+ members?
Families should be a source of support and safety for any child. It is unfortunate that families are not very supportive in these scenarios and they end up being the first stumbling block for a child growing up and dealing with its sexuality. Families that don’t support a child’s sexuality are reproachful and admonitory which causes the child to be constantly conflicted and stressed. Media propagation, sensitivity training events, one-on-one interactions etc. will help create awareness among the members of the society. Normalizing seeking the help of counsellors and trained medical professionals by families dealing with such transitions will help an LGBTQA+ person and the family trying to cope with such situations.
How does the Government, police and the media support your cause?
The Tamil Nādu State Government has been a source of constant support. Due to the efforts of the then IAS officer Mrs. Gariyali, the institution of the Transgender Welfare Board and subsequently the sensitization program for stakeholders like the police force, an endeavor of Mrs. Supriya Sahu, an IAS officer were extremely beneficial. For the past 15 years, we are being funded by the State of Tamil Nadu. The State Government has provided free housing for around 500 transgender individuals. No other State in India has done this so far. The Welfare Board negotiates and interacts with the Government to table the issues relating to the LGBTQIA+ community. As an NGO we are constantly required to work with the Police and we have faced some difficulties along the way. The judgement of Hon’ble Justice Anand Venkatesh issuing a slew of guidelines to ensure protection of the LGBTQIA+ persons in consensual sexual relationships from harassment of the Police has helped immensely. The media has also been very supportive of my work for the LGBTQIA+ community and is helping creating awareness among the masses.
- Are conversion therapies are done forcefully, how do you reach out to medical institutions?
There are several instances of forceful conversions. There should be a ban and penalization of medical institutions that conduct conversion therapy. Desperate parents become obsessed with their children to fall within the societal standards of “normal” to be socially acceptable. They seek the aid of these doctors, shamans and religious heads to torment their children to convert and fit into the conventional ideas of gender, mentally and physically. The perpetrators of such crimes should be identified and be subjected to judicial process.
- What is your opinion on the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ community in the family law?
The Supreme Court has decriminalized same sex relationships between consenting adults only in the year 2018. Legality of marriage should be the next stop for the members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Marriage is a basic Human Right as much as it is a fundamental right under Article 21 of the Constitution and people from the LGBTQIA+ community are denied this right. But I must say that ensuring the other basic essentials such as food, clothing and shelter is our primary concern at the moment. A member of the LGBTQIA+ community face a lot of discrimination. A member of the LGBTQIA+ community is charged much higher for rent, electricity and water by landlords knowing fully well that accommodation for them is difficult to find. The members of the LGBTQIA+ communities are unfairly criticized for begging and prostitution while they are still struggling to fulfil their basic necessities and to make ends meet. The legislature and law enforcement agencies must create laws and policies that benefit and aid such marginalized sections of the society.
- After all the struggles that you have personally faced and the struggles that you faced while attempting to bring changes to the society, how do you feel sir?
It has been an incredible journey of 25 years, I never thought that we would even reach this point of recognition. I no longer have to fear being a gay individual. It is extremely overwhelming and it has been an enriching journey. When I look back, all these were completely unplanned so I call myself the accidental activist. I had to navigate through several hardships in life. I also express my gratitude to the State of Tamil Nadu and the City of Chennai and to everybody who is been helping me along the way. I am extremely fortunate to have a team of very dynamic and committed kids who run the centre and do all the work.
We sincerely thank you, sir for sparing your time for this interview. We hope this interview contributes, at least in a small way, to sensitize the causes of LGBQT+ community among our peers.
(Mr. Sunil Menon was interviewed by our intern, Ms. Madhumitha Lakhsmanan currently pursuing law at the Sastra Deemed to be University, Tanjavur.)
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