LGBTKHAIQ~~ PARLIAMENT OF WEST BENGAL
Parliament's Mission
In 2016, Balaram Dey Street Anandam’s (BDSA) and our associated allies gathered for a pre-parliamentary assembly to strategize how we might be able to mobilize and unite our separate community interventions under one umbrella. We recognized, in doing so, it was the only way that would actually lead to change for the LGBTKHAIQ~~ community. We came to the conclusion, we needed a working body under an agreed structure that would lead debates on policies and chart our demands as Indian citizens.
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Parliament's Beginning
The West Bengal Queer Parliament (WBQP) will (1) serve as a multi-party caucus that will strengthen the voices of LGBTKHAIQ~~ community members within the state of West Bengal, as part of the larger Pan-Asian Movement for gender equality, and (2) establish justice for LGBTKHAIQ~~ autonomy within red-light districts through cross-party collaboration at local, regional, and national levels. Since 2007 BDSA has led this movement for equal gender rights and has enabled leadership opportunities from marginalized communities. Nestled in the red-light district of Sonagachi, Kolkata, our mission has called us to defend the rights and dignity of our community members, while advancing our fight against stigma, discrimination, and prejudice that deprives and excludes LGBTKHAIQ~~ people in India.
