Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli
Born
Occupations
  • Transgender rights activist
  • RTI Activist
  • singer

Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli is an Indian transgender activist, RTI activist, singer and motivational speaker.[1] She intervened in the “Suresh Kumar Kaushal & Other vs Naz Foundation & Others” case in the Supreme Court in 2014[2] in which she highlighted the deleterious effects of conversion or reparative therapy on queer people through her affidavit.[3]

Early life and career

Assigned male at birth, Vyjayanti is from Hyderabad. Vyjayanti had a rough childhood where she was prone to school abuse,[4] conversion therapy, bullying and assault.[5] In an interview, Vyjayanti said "They couldn’t understand (it), nor were they willing to understand, for them it was some unproductive rubbish, some trash that they had to deal with".[6][7] Talking about how she tackled the journey, Vyjayanti said "Though I am not a voracious reader, there are a few books that have influenced me greatly".[8]

Vyjayanti had been working in the corporate sector for 17 years and been associated with organizations like TISS, Bhumika, Anveshi and Centre For Law And Policy Research, Bangalore.[9]

In 2015, Vyjayanti was stopped from a movie while visiting GVK mall in Hyderabad. Vyjayanti said "We were waiting next to the ticket counter and there were easily more than 50 people at the spot. But the guard, who said he was doing his duty and checking people with suspicious behavior, singled us out. And it was quite obvious why". She did file a complaint in police station also ensured the mall apologizes for discrimination.[10] [11]

Activism

Vyjayanti started her career of activism at Queer Swabhimana Yatra and founder of Telangana Hijra Intersex Transgender Samiti,[12] an LGBT Right group based out of Hyderabad. Since then, she has been fighting a battle for ensuring dignity and rights of transgender persons as well sexual minority.[13] She was in forefront to file charge sheet against rowdy sheeter who was attacking trans persons in the city of Hyderabad.[14][15] She asked the state government of Telangana to manifest more stronger policy for protecting transgender persons.[16] She felt that the draconian law of Section 377 of Indian Penal Code should be abolished, because she had been abused and violated by police on multiple occasions under this law, she said "Village medics and babas often prescribe rape to cure lesbians of homosexuality. Refusal to marry brings more physical abuse.[17] Stories of family acceptance that you see on TV and other media are more of an urban phenomenon".[18] Vyjayanti also voiced about the disrupt the "Behroopiyas" causing for Hyderabad transgender community and seek police intervention.[19]

In solidarity for the acid attack on trans women, Sonia Vyjayanti said "She cannot go out in the sun because her skin will burn. But she cannot be sitting in the house either. She does not have the luxury to do that, But the poor do not know that they don't have to pay. They just have to tell the hospital to claim it from Arogyashree or the Telangana Acid Attack Victims Compensation Fund. But private hospitals don't want to run around to get their own money from the government. It is too much of a hassle for them. So, they choose to play on the ignorance of the victims and their families," and asked for better law for curtailing such crimes.[20] She also voiced out the atrocities of corrective rapes and highlighted the urgency to give protection for queer individuals.[21] Vyjayanti has voiced out her disagreement about Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. As a response to an interview, Vyjayanti said "We wanted to bring people from various backgrounds to talk about the draconian Citizenship Amendment Act."[22] Vyjayanti petitioned to the High court about the harassments faced by trans community as a part of the Trans bill 2019,[23] She said We are told we are illegal – that our existence, our livelihood is illegal– that gender identity and expression is illegal. This is what we are challenging with this petition.”[24]

Vyjayanti was also one of three people to put a PIL against Telangana Eunuchs act, 1329 Fasli.[25] Later, on 6 July 2023, Telangana High Court struck down the act as unconstitutional and ultra vires the Constitution of India.[26] She was against the centre's proposed Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2017. She also was one of the members to put an appeal for fair probe of CJI Sexual assault case.[27] In 2020, Vyjayanti voiced out the pleat of troubles faced by transgender community in middle of the lockdown.[28] She said "Given the way the economy is going and how tied up healthcare workers are going to be in the near future with COVID-19, there is some fear that the cost of the surgery may increase."[29][30]

Selected Keynotes and Panel Discussions

  • ICCR Samanatha 2021[31]
  • Rainbow Lit Fest 2020 [32]
  • Ampliying Pride 2019 [33]
  • UFLS [34]
  • Public session: Gender in Media: Continuities and Discontinuities[35]
  • TISS Webinar on "Socio-economic inclusion of transgender persons"[36]
  • Hyderabad Lit Festival[37]
  • Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now.[38]
  • IIIT LGBT Awareness Event[39]

References

  1. "'ट्रांसजेंडर होने के कारण नहीं मिल रही है नौकरी'". BBC News हिंदी (in Hindi). 28 November 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  2. Khobragade, Ashish Kumar Gupta and Grishma (1 January 2018). The Third Gender: Stain and Pain. Vishwabharati Research Centre, Latur, Maharashtra.
  3. "Suresh Kumar Kaushal vs. Naz Foundation: A Critical Analysis". www.lawctopus.com. 21 July 2014. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  4. Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli (17 January 2016). "Confronting my demons". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 5 April 2023 via PressReader.
  5. "For those who still ask: What's in a name?". DNA India. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  6. "Gay rights rule change sets up cultural battle in conservative India". Reuters. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  7. TK, Sreeraj (25 November 2016). "The Catholic Church Is Reaching Out To Transgenders Of India. But Activists Aren't Impressed". www.scoopwhoop.com. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  8. "Discovering my Identity". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  9. Scientist, Impact (25 February 2020). "' IMPACT HOUR' with Vyjayanthi Vasantha Mogli". Women leadership platform. Archived from the original on 25 January 2022. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  10. dhiman, anisha (30 September 2015). "Stopped from a movie". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  11. Dhiman, Anisha (30 September 2015), "Stopped from a movie", Deccan Chronicle, archived from the original on 19 November 2015, retrieved 10 July 2023
  12. SHANKAR, KUNAL (19 July 2017). "'Hijra has become a political identity'". Frontline. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  13. danviet.vn. "Hiếp dâm người chuyển giới, câu chuyện đau lòng trong bóng tối tội ác". danviet.vn (in Vietnamese). Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  14. "Rody-sheeter held for harassing transgenders | Hyderabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. TNN. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  15. "How a Serial Extortionist Raped, Robbed Transgender Sex Workers For Almost a Decade". News18. 13 October 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  16. "List steps taken to protect transgender persons: Hyderabad HC". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  17. Papri Paul (15 November 2016). "Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli: Transphobia that claimed Tara's life must end: Activists | Hyderabad News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  18. Patel, Rashmi (27 August 2016). "Being LGBT in India: Some home truths". mint. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  19. India, The Hans (19 July 2015). "Beware of hoax transgenders". www.thehansindia.com. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  20. "Hope for Sonia: Gang raped and attacked with acid, court orders compensation for trans woman". The News Minute. 10 June 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  21. "Horror parents: US legalises gay marriage; India yet to acknowledge corrective rape in families". Firstpost. 28 June 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  22. "Queer Azadi Carnival: Breaking free from the Binaries". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  23. Correspondent, Legal (24 July 2020). "Telangana: Do not insist for medical certificate from transgenders". www.thehansindia.com. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  24. "LGBT community pins hope on Supreme Court". Sify. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  25. "PIL on Telangana Eunuchs Act 1329F: Government told to file counter". Telangana Today. 3 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  26. "Telangana High Court Declares Eunuchs Act Unconstitutional, Calls It Violative Of Third Gender Community's Human Rights". Live Law. 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  27. "Over 250 women lawyers and academics appeal to SC for fair probe on CJI sexual harassment case". The Hindu. 24 April 2019. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  28. Sinha, Tejal (13 April 2020). "Hyderabad: Transgender community distressed to tackle COVID-19". www.thehansindia.com. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  29. "How lack of healthcare and loss of livelihood is affecting trans persons". The News Minute. 1 April 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  30. "For Some Queer Youth, Moving Back Home Means Moving Back Into the Closet". www.vice.com. 21 April 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  31. Rabinowitz, Chloe. "Indian Council Of Cultural Relations Organizes Classical Dance Event To Celebrate Queer Expression Of Indian Artists". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  32. "Pride, politics, poetry: an online queer fest to attend this weekend". Vogue India. 4 December 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  33. "Amplifying PRIDE". NASSCOM. 21 March 2019. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  34. "TRANSGENDER RIGHTS - UNITED FORUM FOR LEGAL STUDIES". www.ufls.in. 24 October 2020. Archived from the original on 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  35. "Gender in Media: Continuities & Discontinuities". NWM India. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  36. "Welcome to TISS". www.tiss.edu. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  37. "Vyjayanti Vasanta Mogli – Hyderabad Literary Festival 2022". Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  38. "Orange the World: End Violence Against Women". 30 November 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  39. "LGBTQ Awareness Event -". Retrieved 25 January 2022.
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