While the LGBTQIA community is celebrating pride month globally, the reality is far less colourful for the members in India. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people say they prefer to hide the truth about themselves at workplaces in the country as not all company policies are inclusive.
Most of them hide their private lives from colleagues and clients for fear of homophobia, exclusion or being overlooked during promotions.
Metrolife spoke to a few LGBTQIA activists and supporters about the problems and challenges faced by them in workplaces and public places. Here’s what we found.
Limited choices, no counselling centres in offices
Many of them prefer to remain in the closet for fear of being rejected by companies. It is even more difficult for freshers as their choices are severely narrowed if they only want to join companies with inclusive policies.
Even if one does decide to reveal the truth about themselves at their workplaces to their seniors, the information might not be kept confidential. Also, there are no centres in workplaces where one can avail help in such matters. The few ones that do exist only focus on women and transwomen, not men. So reaching out is as good as coming out.
After revealing the truth, most of them feel left out. Some say they have been denied the opportunity to take part in important meetings.
Srini Ramaswamy,
Co-founder of Pride Circle
‘Schooling difficult, so no qualifications for a job’
The corporates are saying they welcome the community and that they have inclusive policies that protect us. Where were they when we needed them? Where were they when we were left on roads with no jobs and when we were harassed by the police?
To add to this, they look for the educational qualifications of the LGBTQI community, most of who haven’t been able to make it through school.
Priyank,
Queer activist and entrepreneur
What the members of the community say
LGBT people say they deal with various situations which drive home the fact that they live in a heteronormative society.
‘People uncomfortable dealing with us’
Lekha (name changed), who works at a leading software company in Bengaluru, still remains in the closet due to the fear that she might lose her job.
“I am the sole breadwinner in the family. Even though we say people are not narrow-minded anymore, they are. Though they don’t have a problem with people being gay, they feel uncomfortable dealing with us,” she says.
‘Asked to conceal truth for job’
Shilpa, a transwoman who came out during an interview, was asked to conceal her identity if she wanted the job.
“The employers liked my profile and offered me the job. But when I told the truth about myself, they asked if I could keep it confidential. Be it in a board meeting or a casual office meet, evading questions about family life can be like dodging bullets,” she says.
Corporates say they are doing their bit
A few companies in the city say they have inclusive policies designed to make sure that everyone feels at home in the workplace.
Tina Vinod from ThoughtWorks says the company has been hiring LGBTQI people since 2014.
“We also have an affinity group, ‘Mitra collective’, which is a coming together of members of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies at ThoughtWorks India. The group has members from across all our offices,” says Tina. S
Seema, chief Human Resource officer, Nestaway, says that as part of their inclusive policy, they offer many extra-curricular activities for the community members to make them comfortable.
“When we talk about LGBTQIA people, the trans community is more affected. Lesbians and gays can choose whether to come out or not, but trans people have no choice. So, we made it a point to hire trans people and we have about five of them working for us now. We also offer internships and hire them later,” she adds.
Help is a call away
If members from the LGBTQIA community feel they are being harassed or need help in any other way, here are the numbers they can call:
Sangama
Contact: 530 9591
Address: 1st Floor, No. 7, 8th Main, 3rd Phase, Domlur 2nd Stage.
ALF(Alternative law form)
Contact: 8022865757
Address: 122/4 Infantry Road, Next to Balaji Art Gallery.
Swabhava Trust
Contact: 22230959
Address: 4th Floor, M. S. Plaza, 13th “A” Cross, 4th Main, Sampangiramnagar.
One can also reach out to prominent LGBTQI activists through their social media platforms.
First ever LGBTQI Job fair
Pride Circle, a two-year-old Bengaluru-based platform is organising a job fair for the LGBTQIA community on July 12. Called RISE (Reimagining Inclusion For Social Equity), the fair aims to provide the LGBTQIA communities with comfortable livelihoods.
Held for the first time in the country, the event is expected to see around 300 applications and 50 companies across sectors like IT, hospitality, banking, finance and housekeeping.
Schedule
Date: July 12
Time: 9 am 5.30 pm
Where: Lalit Ashok hotel
Contact:
Interested people can contact the organisers on their Facebook page ‘Pride Circle’. You can also write to rise@thepridecircle.com. Candidates will have to pre-register; walk-ins will not be allowed. Log on to www.thepridecircle.com/rise to upload your resume and register.
‘There is a need for dedicated shelters for us’
Queer activist and entrepreneur Priyank, who runs a bakery, says that in his 10-year-long journey as a queer activist, he has come across many people who are comfortable with the gay community but don’t want to actually deal with them.
“Another issue is the lack of shelter spaces for the community. Most people are abandoned when they come out and there are no shelters which accept us. Neither are there old age homes which welcome aged queers,” he says.