Sunday, the third and final day of the Hyderabad Literary Festival, witnessed overwhelming response from the participating panellists and audience. Here is a quick rundown.
Responding to trafficking:
Social activist Sunitha Krishnan, co-founder of Prajwala, an organisation that rescues sex-trafficked victims, spoke about human trafficking. Krishnan shared her own experience and how her parents were not supportive of her lifestyle and choices. The session was attended by many people, who got an opportunity to interact with Krishnan and ask her questions. When she was asked if prostitution should be legalised, she responded saying, “Legalising prostitution is like legalising rape.”
Krishnan took the stage to condemn the attacks on women and said that a change in mindset is what is important. “It is high time that we stopped blaming women and start raising our sons properly,” she said, and added that sex-trafficked victims don’t need sympathy but empathy, and requested the audience to keep her and other victims in their prayers. Krishnan also spoke about how digital technology and cyber pornography has made human trafficking easier than before. “Not just the poor, everyone can be trafficked these days. The number of young boys being trafficked for porn has increased,” she said.
When she was asked how she pushes herself ahead every day, she concluded saying, “When someone who has being raped 45 times comes and hugs me, it pushes me forward to do more. There was a child who was rescued and taken to a hospital. During a cervical examination, there were broom sticks in the girl’s vagina. Things like that anger me, but I tell myself I’m at least changing the world of one person if not the entire world.”
Breaking the norm:
Krishnan’s session was followed by Shamir Tandon and the Six Pack Band, India’s first all-transgender band’s talk and performance. Shamir explained that only three members of the band could make it because they weren’t provided with enough funds by the organisers. The three performers who did make it, Bhavika, Raveena and Asha, shared their experiences with the audience and performed their cover of Pharrell William’s Happy, to which people whistled and clapped in response. Bhavika said, “If a girl and guy can be a singer, why not a transgender?" and Asha added, “I used to dance in marriages and other functions. Things have now changed for us because of Shamir Tandon.”
