Workshop on marriage equality, rights of LGBTQIA+ held

Vadodara: Activists, legal experts, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community gathered for a special discussion on the marriage equality judgment of the Supreme Court in the Supriyo Chakraborty vs Union of India case of 2023 in the city.
"We held the workshop with the objective of creating awareness on the Special Marriage Act and the Supriyo Chakraborty and others versus Union of India case about same-sex marriage rights in India and conceive ways to go forward," said Maya Sharma, trustee of Vikalp Women's Group.
Besides this, the workshop also helped participants understand the recommendations made by the high-powered committee as per the mandate of the Supreme Court.
"The meeting promoted dialogue on anti-discrimination, gender justice, and public health measures for promoting the rights of LGBTQIA+ people. The rapid developments in law and policy concerns and robust discussions attest that such meetings must be held periodically to ensure community awareness and stakeholder training," said Suraj Sanap, an advocate from C-Help, Pune, who conducted the workshop.
The workshop ended with a presentation by a group of young Vikalp volunteers on the emotional aspects of how the laws, as well as the absence of laws that support the LGBTQIA+, affect the community.
"It was good to know that our govt has included the concept of chosen family in the Mental Health Act as well as in some other laws. So, there is some progress," he said.