Manohar, Momos, and Mainstreaming

News Item : Sangama and Karnataka Sex Workers Union congratulated Elavarthi Manohar the first Vice-Chairperson of the India CCM (Country Coordinating Mechanism) of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria on his return from Delhi  Thursday.

I remember sitting with Manohar, introducing him to Momos at a tiny joint called Ming's Chimney near the AN College in Patna in the year 2002. Manohar, a relentless campaigner for Queer Rights, had come to the city, as part of an HIV-AIDS related assignment, and had contacted me because he had heard of the work that we were doing to support males in gender distress and our efforts at AASRA to bring the queer rights discourse to mainstream society.He founded and nurtures 'Sangama', an NGO on Queer Rights in Bangalore and is recognised as the force behind the sex workers union.

Manohar has often been misunderstood within the Gay and Transgendered community as well, because of his identification as a Bisexual. There are many Gay people who regard Bi people as straights masquerading as queer and so on. Manohar is a prolific writer, trainer, and campaigner, and has always fought for the rights of sex workers and sexual minorities for the past 17 years.

 "He has built democratic and transparent mass-based community organisations that advance the varied interests of these marginalised communities,’’ says Geetha, President, Karnataka Sex Workers Union. Manohar designed and led many campaigns to change laws that discriminate against sexual minorities and sex workers, including Section 377 of IPC and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act (ITPA.

Hearty Congratulations, and best wishes, Manohar E!