What is LBTI? What are the Issues?
LBT is an initial that stands for Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex. These initials have been adopted by the majority of sexuality-based and gender-based identity communities to emphasize the diversity of sexuality and gender identity based cultures. The misguided perception of sexual orientation confined to the heterogeneous has created many issues for LBTI+ community exploiting their human rights and dignity.
The most common reality for LBT is they are commonly targeted, harassed, and punished for their sexual orientation. Most of the LBT are often subjected to police harassment, extortion, arrests, unreported and arbitrary detention. Most of the community member have been detained in hospitals and forced to receive treatment against their will. Socially , LBT community lacks a foundation where family and society agree to behave toward us with the same respect given to heterosexuals. LBT people are facing challenges with social acceptance and are victimized with human rights violations.
Thousands of human rights defenders are silenced through fabricated or ridiculous reasons that turn into lengthy, costly and mostly unjust judicial processes. This applies to LBT community not just in Nepal but also in many other countries of the world.
Regarding problems in social acceptance, the LBT community especially faces unfair treatment in the labor market .The lesser mobility of women in general, the issue of identity in the achieving of higher education, the certain gender roles and the identity-based classical work division also create difficulties for LBT community to enter formal as well as informal economy. Decent wages, dignified labor and general respect is denied to greater extent.
The issue of LBT persons rights is often discussed in the framework of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution 217A(III) of 10 December 1948. UDHR which proclaims the “inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.” Similarly Nepal‟s constitution has recognized LGBT community. Legally our country has decriminalized same-sex relationships and introducing new laws strengthening the community which is commendable , however there are still many legal constraints forbidding the LBT community dignified life. Nevertheless, the participation of LBT community representatives at the mainstream politics and the decision making role is still negligible. The existence of patriarchal mindset even in the political parties and the governance has overruled the gender friendly party manifesto and the guiding documents which is never implemented as it should be.