Experts to discuss LGBT rights in Mumbai

MUMBAI: The Rotaract Club of Mumbai Shivaji Park in association with the well known NGO working in the field of gay rights, Humsafar Trust, has organized a three-session program called the "eye opening reality" to understand the LGBT community.
It is a project to create awareness about LGBT (lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and to try remove stigmas associated with them in the minds of the public, said a member of the Club.Abhishek Patel, President of the Club said,
“The main aim of the project is to not only develop a general awareness among the public, about the LGBT community, their family issues and health care but to also bust general myths and facilitate a better interaction with the society for greater integration with the mainstream workforce." He also said the idea is to "lay the foundation for free sharing of ideas which is the essence of a truly open society, tolerant to differences of race, religion, irrespective of gender preferences of an individual."
After a visit to the Humsafar trust on October 12, the club will hold a panel discussion on October 20 at the Rachna Sansad auditotium at 5 pm. The freen entry event will have Harish Iyer, gay rights activist, Urmi Jadhav, President of hijra community ‘Kinnar kastoori’, Sonal Giani, a LGBT rights activist, and Siddhant More, who had undergone a female to male gender change, amongst others to discuss the different dimensions and issues the community faces. The highlight of the evening would be a poignant play in Marathi
Ek Madhav Baug featuring theatre artist Mona Ambegaonkar.
Ek Madhavbaug is considered to be a pioneering Marathi language play that captures a mother's acceptance of the her son's sexuality.
Heena Gupta one of the organisors, said the point is for everyone to understand that, “People are free to live their lives and love whoever they want to."