*This campaign is being run by Misfyt Trans Youth Foundation along with ILGA Asia, Yuvaa, Girl Up India, Trans Rights Now Collective, Yes We Exist, GLAD Foundation, Tapish Foundation, Safe Access
Addressed to:
National Medical Commission
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India
Ayush Ministry
Rehabilitation council of India
Demands:
Enforce the ban that comprehensively defines and prohibits Conversion therapy or "practices to change sexual orientation and gender identity" along with definitions of sexual orientation and gender identity
Conduct national, state level, and district level training and awareness programs to sensitize medical, mental health, counseling and AYUSH professionals as well as government officials including police officers regarding LGBTQIA+ Community
Provide for a grievance redressal mechanism for conversion therapy against LGBTQIA+ community regarding any misconduct by medical and health care professionals
In September 2022, The National Medical Commission (NMC) issued a notice/circular to all state medical councils enlisting conversion therapy as professional misconduct under the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations 2002.
However, the practice of conversion therapy is rampant and goes unreported across the country. There is little to no punitive measures taken against the perpetrators.
In 2020, M was checked into a psychiatric ward of a well known hospital with the approval of their parents to forcibly convert them after they came out to their parents two weeks prior.
In 2019, A was taken to religious authorities and then to medical practitioners where they were subjected to all forms of abuse in the name of conversion.
Such cases are common. Further, the lack of gender sensitisation training of medical professionals continues to cause harm to the LGBTQIA+ community.
There is limited information on what constitutes conversion therapy. Parents and religious entities are gilded into extreme decisions without empirical evidence of any success. As a result of the lack of understanding, there is a lack of enforcement of the ban.
Conversion therapy is an umbrella term to describe interventions of a wide-ranging nature. What unites them is the common belief that a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity can and should be changed. Such practices leave the individual physically abused, and emotionally traumatized.
Dr Hema Tharoor, senior consultant psychiatrist, at Alwarpet’s Apollo Spectra Hospitals says, “The first thing is for someone to feel safe with a doctor or a mental health practitioner to come and speak about orientation and other things.’’
There is a need for sexual orientation and gender identity training of medical professionals. This training must be comprehensive and done in consultation with gender and sexual minorities.
The limited extent of conversion therapy being declared ‘professional misconduct’ does not allow for survivors to feel confident about speaking out. As of now, there is NO nationwide accessible grievance redressal system for survivors of conversion therapy.
We, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and community based organizations, request the authorities to take swift and stringent measures to ensure the safety of our communities
Sources:
*This campaign is being run by Misfyt Trans Youth Foundation along with ILGA Asia, Yuvaa, Girl Up India, Trans Rights Now Collective, Yes We Exist, GLAD Foundation, Tapish Foundation, Safe Access
Addressed to:
National Medical Commission
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,
Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India
Ayush Ministry
Rehabilitation council of India
Demands:
Enforce the ban that comprehensively defines and prohibits Conversion therapy or "practices to change sexual orientation and gender identity" along with definitions of sexual orientation and gender identity
Conduct national, state level, and district level training and awareness programs to sensitize medical, mental health, counseling and AYUSH professionals as well as government officials including police officers regarding LGBTQIA+ Community
Provide for a grievance redressal mechanism for conversion therapy against LGBTQIA+ community regarding any misconduct by medical and health care professionals
In September 2022, The National Medical Commission (NMC) issued a notice/circular to all state medical councils enlisting conversion therapy as professional misconduct under the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations 2002.
However, the practice of conversion therapy is rampant and goes unreported across the country. There is little to no punitive measures taken against the perpetrators.
In 2020, M was checked into a psychiatric ward of a well known hospital with the approval of their parents to forcibly convert them after they came out to their parents two weeks prior.
In 2019, A was taken to religious authorities and then to medical practitioners where they were subjected to all forms of abuse in the name of conversion.
Such cases are common. Further, the lack of gender sensitisation training of medical professionals continues to cause harm to the LGBTQIA+ community.
There is limited information on what constitutes conversion therapy. Parents and religious entities are gilded into extreme decisions without empirical evidence of any success. As a result of the lack of understanding, there is a lack of enforcement of the ban.
Conversion therapy is an umbrella term to describe interventions of a wide-ranging nature. What unites them is the common belief that a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity can and should be changed. Such practices leave the individual physically abused, and emotionally traumatized.
Dr Hema Tharoor, senior consultant psychiatrist, at Alwarpet’s Apollo Spectra Hospitals says, “The first thing is for someone to feel safe with a doctor or a mental health practitioner to come and speak about orientation and other things.’’
There is a need for sexual orientation and gender identity training of medical professionals. This training must be comprehensive and done in consultation with gender and sexual minorities.
The limited extent of conversion therapy being declared ‘professional misconduct’ does not allow for survivors to feel confident about speaking out. As of now, there is NO nationwide accessible grievance redressal system for survivors of conversion therapy.
We, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and community based organizations, request the authorities to take swift and stringent measures to ensure the safety of our communities
Sources: