The Madras High Court on Friday directed the school education and higher education departments to conduct training programmes and sensitise at least one teacher from every educational institution in the State regarding issues faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and others (LGBTQIA+), so that the students could confide to them without any hesitation.
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh ordered that the training programmes, spanning over six to eight weeks, could be conducted with the assistance of non-governmental organisations working for the LGBTQIA+ community, medical professionals and persons belonging to the community. Since the summer vacation was due for the educational institutions, he said, the programmes could be started forthwith.
The directions were issued on a writ petition in which the judge had been issuing a series of directions to the Centre as well as the State government to ensure that the community gets relieved of social prejudices and to ensure that it gets the dignity it deserves. A lesbian couple from Madurai had filed the petition, through their counsel S. Manuraj, alleging harassment by their parents through the police.
During the course of hearing on Friday, the judge told Additional Advocate General S. Silambanan that children who undergo biological changes hesitate to disclose it to their parents because of fear of being reprimanded or abandoned. They sometimes confide it to their friends but if the latter turns out to be a pervert, he starts exploiting the child and life becomes hell for them due to the physical and mental trauma.
“Many commit suicides because of this but these reasons do not get reported. Therefore, it is essential that the State creates a mechanism for students to get the support they require. There should be at least one person in schools to whom the children can confide in. Otherwise, a child will have no protection at all. If these suicides can be prevented, it will be a great start towards their social integration,” the judge said.
Earlier, the judge recorded the submission of Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority (TNSLSA) that it had conducted a similar six-week training programme for 96 advocates by selecting three advocates from each district. TNSLSA counsel C.K. Chandrasekhar said this was the first of its kind programme conducted in the country and that the 96 advocates would now serve as resource persons to educate others on problems faced by the transgender.
Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling the State’s health helpline 104 or Chennai-based Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050
