by Atono Tsükrü Kense
“When a boy acts like a girl, he is called names. As a child, I liked stuff that usually girls have a fancy for -playing with dolls, painting my nails, trying lipstick and so on. My friends and relatives rebuked me. Even in school, I was called different names. I couldn't speak to people. Every night I hid inside my blanket and cried questioning myself and my sexuality. I even attempted to kill myself many times.”
“ “MSM is not a disorder” asserts Moa who also adds that if given a chance and accepted by the society for them to live a dignified life; they can become productive members of the society like any other person.”
This is the testimony of a gay, who has suffered trauma since childhood, first while coming to terms with his own sexuality and then steeling himself to the taunts of the society. Moa, now aged 30, knows firsthand the prejudices and discrimination that a gay man faces in Nagaland, and he has made it his mission to work for people of his kind. Moa is associated with Guardian Angel, a nongovernmental organisation based in Dimapur working for the MSM (Men Sleeping with Men) community.
There is a worldwide revolution the world over for recognition of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and with encouraging results. However, for a state like Nagaland where religion, customs and traditions dictate the way of life, the lives of MSMs, cross dressers, transgender are still not easy. Many respondents, when asked about their views on LGBT termed it as ‘taboo and sin’.
Many from the MSM community have been marginalized because of their sexual orientation – families having disowned them and they live in isolation and distress. Some of them have even been forced into heterosexual marriage by their families.
According to Dr. Bernice, NSACS joint director (TI) who through a project closely works with this community, “we have such population amongst us who are our own people (Nagas)” living in fear of coming out, identifying their sexuality with their families, community and Church.
She said there are more than 1000 active participants in their programme and explains that identification of this kind of sexuality has lots to do with biological factors. “Before they started growing up to a full adult, they started sensing their sexuality that they don’t belong to that group we categorize our population into,” stated Bernice.
Highlighting the underlying problems of the community who are vulnerable to violence and HIV besides the trauma they undergo, Dr. Bernice asserted that its time the people start realizing MSM activity and sexuality as they are amongst us, and be sensitive and understand their problems in a holistic way. Read more via Morung Express