Many People Many Desires New
VCD, various languages and with English subtitles, 45 mins
Directed by T.Jayashree
Produced by Sangama, Bangalore

Benaqaab (Unmasked)
VCD, various languages and with English subtitles, 36 mins, 2002
Directed by Chalam Benakur
Produced by Touring Talkies and Sangram

- Arshia Sattar

These films deserve to be considered together because they deal with the prejudices against and the rights of sexual minorities ( Many People, Many Desires ) and those of commercial sex workers ( Benaqaab ). Central to the issue of rights for these marginalized groups is the idea of full and complete “citizenship” of the nation: until we recognize that people have the right to exercise choice (of sexuality, profession, whatever), we will not see them as deserving of the same protections that we take for granted. The law does not recognize the rights either of sexual minorities or of commercial sex workers and until that happens, there is also little that can be done to address social prejudices against these groups.

Sangama was founded in Bangalore in 1999 as incidents of violence against members of sexual minorities began to rise. The film, Many People Many Desires , revolves around the organization and those that visit it, engaging them in conversations about their experiences, their hopes and fears. The people in the film, men, women and transsexuals, cut across caste and economic background and seem to come from all parts of the country. Some of them speak directly into the camera, others prefer to remain anonymous and their faces are blocked on screen. This, too, cuts across class and language, indicating that the same problems of rejection and ostracism are faced by those that have made sexual choices that brand them as “different,” irrespective of who they may be and where they may come from. Some have supportive families, others belong to supportive communities ( hijra sub-cultures are well-known for the support structures they provide) or groups. We hear from lesbian couples about how they have been persecuted and driven out of their homes, from Chandni, who has become a woman after undergoing castration surgery and is no longer accepted by her family in the village, from a young man who cruises Cubbon Park in search of companionship, from young men forced to marry and who now live a double life. But we also see and hear from those who are “out” and can at least some part of their lives with dignity and freedom.

But whether or not members of sexual minority groups have social acceptance, they all continue to be marginalized in terms of the law. Police brutality is common place and there is no recourse against persecution or injustice. The film ends with a public rally in December 2003 in Bangalore which demanded the repeal of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, the section that criminalizes all non-heterosexual sex. The fight to repeal the Act continues.

Benaqaab is located around a conference supported by the Asian Women's Human Rights Council that addresses the concerns raised by global trafficking in women and children held in Kohlapur in March 1999. The local organizations involved were Izzat, VAMP and Sangram. While arguing again for basic fundamental and human rights for commercial sex workers, the film also introduces us to the critical difference between prostitution and trafficking of humans for sexual purposes and the debates around legalization and decriminalization of commercial sex work. We hear from the spokeswomen of sex workers, Mala Singh from Sonagachi in Kolkata and Shabana Kazi from Nippani in Karnataka. These are strong women who speak for themselves as well as the community they represent. Yet again, we hear stories of social ostracism and of no recourse to the law, the combination of social censure and lack of legal protection making simple lives impossible, with or without dignity. While the women involved show immense courage and forbearance, they are clear that they do not want their daughters to join the profession. But we also hear about independent cooperatives and support groups as well as lobbies that sex workers have developed for themselves and their protection. For instance, cities like Kolkata and Bangalore now host annual sexual minority and sex workers carnivals that celebrate these vibrant communities as well as act as forums where issues of common concern (like safe sex) can be discussed. Films like this not only bring the issues into public discourse and to public attention, they also show us what can be done to ameliorate the situation and how.

Both these films work well in workshops designed to sensitize young people to issues of gender and sexuality. Apart from the fact that they present real people with real experiences, both positive and negative, they also clearly put forward the issues that inform the debates around sexual choice, the freedom to choose your line of work and the legal protection that all citizens of India deserve. Benaqaab ends with an attempt by the local municipal authorities in Nippani to evict female sex workers from their homes as the police do nothing to prevent the violence. The films prod viewers into looking at their own prejudices and then walk them through the social and legal prejudices that the system itself perpetuates.

For more information, contact: www.sangama.org, www.sangram.org