LGBT and Human Rights Violations: Some Reflections

LGBT stands for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender. LGBT has become a widely accepted designation for minorities based on sexual and gender orientation. It has helped very much in bringing sexual minorities under one umbrella to fight against the atrocities, harassments and human rights violations. LGBT, as a social minority group, are suffering from various forms of socio-economic and cultural injustice. In the labour market, majority of LGBT continue to hide their sexual orientation or to endure harassment out of fear of losing their job. This discrimination not only denies LGBT equal access to key social goods, such as employment, health care, education and housing, but it also marginalizes and makes them one of the vulnerable groups who are at risk of becoming socially excluded. Review: Mason (2001) observes that violence in the inter-locked systems of gender and sexual identity is not bound by the immediate injury due to the act of violence. As Mason argues, violence is partially contingent on the 'visibility' of the transgressed sexual subject. That is, since people are normatively 'presumed heterosexual', only those who indicate otherwise (through their clothing, behaviour, speech etc.) are vulnerable to direct violence. Design of the study: Descriptive research design. Findings: Among the LGBT people transgender are facing more violence than other categories because of their visible gender identity. They do face atrocities and human rights violations frequently which affect their dignity and honour in social life. Conclusion: All over the world the sexual minorities experience dehumanizing in the aspects of their sex and gender. They face extreme forms of violence and harassments for none of their mistake. They need care and support from all concerned for their dignified place in society.