Malayala Manorama Indian Newspaper of Malayalam Language from eight places in Kerela
Monday,28 July 2008 12:53 hrs IST
India too will embrace gays: Pamela Roy
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Toronto: Indian American researcher Pamela Roy raised quite a few eyebrows at a seminar during a North American Bengali Convention here by openly debating homosexuality among Canadian-born Indian youth.
The first second-generation Indian woman in North America to declare her lesbian orientation a few years ago, Michigan University researcher Roy wanted to fathom changes in sexual outlook among second-generation Bengalis here.
To her surprise, Roy found a few boys and girls talking openly about their sexual orientation.
"I was happy that a couple of them revealed their gay and lesbian orientation in front of everybody. There is definitely some change in attitude among second-generation Indians," the Kolkota-born Roy, who came to Canada when she was just one, told IANS.
She felt that in time all cultures, including India, would embrace gay and lesbian people.
"To come out is a painful experience in any society," said Roy, who kept her lesbianism a secret from her family and friends for years.
"I knew I was attracted to them. At the age of 14, I had my first lesbian experience in school," she recalled.
Immediately after her first lesbian encounter, Roy said she told her brother and her friends about it. "But I told my parents when the timing was right, which occurred after I had gone away to college, I was 20 years old at this point," she said.
"But my brother, mother and father have always loved me and are supportive. I have been able to bring home girlfriends and partners ever since I started dating women. Ultimately, my family wants me to be happy," she said.
And to be really happy, she added, "I do plan on getting married/being in a committed relationship and having a family and children."
Roy moved to the US in 1994 and is currently conducting a nationwide study on South Asian Americans who are LGBTQQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning).
Excerpts of her interview:
Q: How difficult was it to come out and reveal your sexual orientation?
A: Coming out is a continuous process - coming out to oneself, family, friends, colleagues and co-workers at school and work. I have had good experiences and also traumatic ones. Coming out is a daily occurrence.
Q: When did you realize that you were different and how long did you keep it a secret from your family?
A: I do not consider myself different. I knew that I had feelings for women when I was 7 or 8 years old. My first lesbian experience occurred in high school at the age of 14. I came out to my brother immediately and told him about the relationship. I also told many friends, some of whom I lost.
I told my parents when the timing was right, which occurred after I had gone away to college, I was 20 years old at this point.
Q: What was their (family's) first reaction?
A: My brother, mother and father have always loved me and are supportive. I have been able to bring home girlfriends and partners ever since I started dating women. Ultimately, my family wants me to be happy and have educated themselves throughout the years about queer topics. I have also been intentional about educating them and have bought books and watched queer movies with my family. With my recent research in this topic, I have been very open and shared findings from my study.
Q: You said about 10 to 15 percent people have this sexual orientation. How prevalent is it among South Asians?
A: It is commonly believed that 10-15 percent of the population has had thoughts, feelings or interactions (emotional and physical) with members of the same sex; however there is no current research about the prevalence among South Asians.
Q: Do you think Indian culture will one day embrace gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people?
A: I strongly believe that in time, cultures around the world, including India, will embrace it. People need to be educated on this topic and have an open mind before cultural perceptions and attitudes are changed.
My co-researcher Raja Bhattar, University of Redlands, and I have conducted a study on South Asian LGBTQQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning) in the US to understand the issue and future trends.
Q: Finally, have you any partner now? Will you marry her?
A: I am currently not in a relationship. But like most people, I do plan on getting married/being in a committed relationship and having a family and children.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
Orissa to provide 25 kg. rice to BPL families at Rs. 2 a kg
The Hindu - Indian Newspapers in English Language from eight editions.
Orissa to provide 25 kg. rice to BPL families at Rs. 2 a kg
Bhubaneswar (PTI): In a major relief to the poor hit by soaring prices, the Orissa government on Monday announced that it would provide 25 kg of rice every month to each family living Below the Poverty Line (BPL) at Rupees two per kg from August 1.
"Every BPL family will get 25 kg of rice per month at Rs two per kg from August 1," chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who reviewed the public distribution system (pds) at a meeting, told reporters.
"We hope it will give considerable relief to the poor who are severely affected by price rise," Patnaik said.
Official sources said the decision to provide rice at Rs two per kg instead of the existing rate of Rs 6.30 is expected to put an additional financial burden of about Rs 800 crore on the state government every year.
Besides benefiting about 44 lakh BPL families in the state, the announcement would also cover another 5.5 lakh urban poor families and over five lakh families living Above the Poverty Line (apl) in the backward Kalakandi, Bolangir and Koraput (KBK) region, they said.
Beneficiaries of Antyodaya scheme, who get 35 kg rice every month at rupees three per kg, would also be provided 25 kg of rice out of their quota at rupees two per kg, they said.
Describing the announcement as historic, state finance minister Prafulla Ghadei said "The government would shoulder the financial burden to provide succour to the poor people to mitigate their plight."
Orissa to provide 25 kg. rice to BPL families at Rs. 2 a kg
Bhubaneswar (PTI): In a major relief to the poor hit by soaring prices, the Orissa government on Monday announced that it would provide 25 kg of rice every month to each family living Below the Poverty Line (BPL) at Rupees two per kg from August 1.
"Every BPL family will get 25 kg of rice per month at Rs two per kg from August 1," chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who reviewed the public distribution system (pds) at a meeting, told reporters.
"We hope it will give considerable relief to the poor who are severely affected by price rise," Patnaik said.
Official sources said the decision to provide rice at Rs two per kg instead of the existing rate of Rs 6.30 is expected to put an additional financial burden of about Rs 800 crore on the state government every year.
Besides benefiting about 44 lakh BPL families in the state, the announcement would also cover another 5.5 lakh urban poor families and over five lakh families living Above the Poverty Line (apl) in the backward Kalakandi, Bolangir and Koraput (KBK) region, they said.
Beneficiaries of Antyodaya scheme, who get 35 kg rice every month at rupees three per kg, would also be provided 25 kg of rice out of their quota at rupees two per kg, they said.
Describing the announcement as historic, state finance minister Prafulla Ghadei said "The government would shoulder the financial burden to provide succour to the poor people to mitigate their plight."
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Baby declared still-born, alive several hours later
Baby declared still-born, alive several hours later
Writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi has condemned the sheer callousness in private medical care and called for strong action.
Kolkata: A baby boy wrongly declared still-born at a premier nursing home here and on the verge of being taken for burial was alive several hours later but his life was not out of danger. The infant born prematurely was battling for life at a hospital where he was shifted after the apparent mistake was discovered at the nursing home.
The CEO of the nursing home, Belle Vue Clinic, P Tandon, who first refused to describe the baby's case as medical negligence, later said an internal inquiry had been ordered.
"This is not a case of medical negligence. It happens sometimes that a baby doesn't respond. This is what exactly happened. After we came to know we immediately sent the baby, which was premature and underweight to AMRI hospital for better treatment," Tandon said.
An hour later, Tandon changed his statement saying, "We have started an internal inquiry and if we find any lapse on the part of nurses or doctor, we will take action." AMRI spokesman Kanak Ghosh, however, said: "We cannot say the baby is out of danger. He has been kept in an incubator for observation." Sangita Das, a resident of Belilious Road, Howrah, was admitted to Belle Vue Clinic on Sunday and taken after midnight to the labour room where she delivered a baby boy.
"There was no doctor present during the delivery and on Monday morning the nurses informed me that I had delivered a still-born baby and it was dead," Sangita said.
The hospital authorities reportedly informed Sangita's family more than 10 hours after delivery that the baby was still-born. Husband Manas Das along with his relatives went to the nursing home to collect the 'body' after making arrangements for burial but were told the infant was alive.
Manas' cousin Jayanta Majhi said, "We found the baby's body warm and felt a faint heartbeat.
When we informed the nursing home authorities about the incident, they literally snatched the baby from us for medical attention." Manas said that a complaint was lodged against the nursing home authorities at the Shakespeare Sarani police station.
The police have also started an inquiry, DCP (South) R Subarno said. Health minister Suryakanta Mishra was not available for comment.
Director of Health Services Sanchita Bakshi, said she had not received a complaint. "If we get a complaint from anybody, we will definitely initiate action against the Clinic." Writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi said ''We so far had an idea that the government's health services were poor, but now it is apparent that there is sheer callousness in private medical care. It calls for strong action.
© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved.
Writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi has condemned the sheer callousness in private medical care and called for strong action.
Kolkata: A baby boy wrongly declared still-born at a premier nursing home here and on the verge of being taken for burial was alive several hours later but his life was not out of danger. The infant born prematurely was battling for life at a hospital where he was shifted after the apparent mistake was discovered at the nursing home.
The CEO of the nursing home, Belle Vue Clinic, P Tandon, who first refused to describe the baby's case as medical negligence, later said an internal inquiry had been ordered.
"This is not a case of medical negligence. It happens sometimes that a baby doesn't respond. This is what exactly happened. After we came to know we immediately sent the baby, which was premature and underweight to AMRI hospital for better treatment," Tandon said.
An hour later, Tandon changed his statement saying, "We have started an internal inquiry and if we find any lapse on the part of nurses or doctor, we will take action." AMRI spokesman Kanak Ghosh, however, said: "We cannot say the baby is out of danger. He has been kept in an incubator for observation." Sangita Das, a resident of Belilious Road, Howrah, was admitted to Belle Vue Clinic on Sunday and taken after midnight to the labour room where she delivered a baby boy.
"There was no doctor present during the delivery and on Monday morning the nurses informed me that I had delivered a still-born baby and it was dead," Sangita said.
The hospital authorities reportedly informed Sangita's family more than 10 hours after delivery that the baby was still-born. Husband Manas Das along with his relatives went to the nursing home to collect the 'body' after making arrangements for burial but were told the infant was alive.
Manas' cousin Jayanta Majhi said, "We found the baby's body warm and felt a faint heartbeat.
When we informed the nursing home authorities about the incident, they literally snatched the baby from us for medical attention." Manas said that a complaint was lodged against the nursing home authorities at the Shakespeare Sarani police station.
The police have also started an inquiry, DCP (South) R Subarno said. Health minister Suryakanta Mishra was not available for comment.
Director of Health Services Sanchita Bakshi, said she had not received a complaint. "If we get a complaint from anybody, we will definitely initiate action against the Clinic." Writer and social activist Mahasweta Devi said ''We so far had an idea that the government's health services were poor, but now it is apparent that there is sheer callousness in private medical care. It calls for strong action.
© Copyright 2008 PTI. All rights reserved.
U.S. transgender 'man' gives birth
U.S. transgender 'man' gives birth - report says
Fri, Jul 4 03:54 AM
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Thomas Beatie, who was born a woman but after surgery and hormone treatment lives as a man, has given birth to a girl at an Oregon hospital, People magazine reported on Thursday.
Beatie, 34, who kept female reproductive organs when he legally became a man 10 years ago, confirmed the birth to the magazine.
The baby, conceived through artificial insemination using donor sperm and Beatie's own eggs, was born on June 29 and Beatie and the baby are "healthy and doing well," People reported.
"The only thing different about me is that I can't breast-feed my baby. But a lot of mothers don't," People quoted Beatie as saying. He has had his breasts surgically removed.
He told the magazine that contrary to published reports, the baby was not delivered by Caesarean section, but no other details about the birth were given.
The thinly bearded Beatie told "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in April he began his sexual transformation about 10 years ago when he began taking testosterone treatment and had surgery to remove mammary glands and flatten his chest.
Upon deciding to have a child about two years ago, he halted his bimonthly hormone injections and resumed menstruating.
Beatie's wife, Nancy, 46, whom he married five years ago, was unable to conceive because of a prior hysterectomy. Otherwise, he has said, "I wouldn't be doing this." His spouse has two grown daughters by a previous marriage.
She said on Oprah's show their parental roles would be fairly traditional despite his transgender status. "He's going to be the father, and I'm going to be the mother," she said.
The couple, who operate a T-shirt printing business in Bend, Oregon, are legally married and he is recognized under Oregon state law as a man.
Fri, Jul 4 03:54 AM
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Thomas Beatie, who was born a woman but after surgery and hormone treatment lives as a man, has given birth to a girl at an Oregon hospital, People magazine reported on Thursday.
Beatie, 34, who kept female reproductive organs when he legally became a man 10 years ago, confirmed the birth to the magazine.
The baby, conceived through artificial insemination using donor sperm and Beatie's own eggs, was born on June 29 and Beatie and the baby are "healthy and doing well," People reported.
"The only thing different about me is that I can't breast-feed my baby. But a lot of mothers don't," People quoted Beatie as saying. He has had his breasts surgically removed.
He told the magazine that contrary to published reports, the baby was not delivered by Caesarean section, but no other details about the birth were given.
The thinly bearded Beatie told "The Oprah Winfrey Show" in April he began his sexual transformation about 10 years ago when he began taking testosterone treatment and had surgery to remove mammary glands and flatten his chest.
Upon deciding to have a child about two years ago, he halted his bimonthly hormone injections and resumed menstruating.
Beatie's wife, Nancy, 46, whom he married five years ago, was unable to conceive because of a prior hysterectomy. Otherwise, he has said, "I wouldn't be doing this." His spouse has two grown daughters by a previous marriage.
She said on Oprah's show their parental roles would be fairly traditional despite his transgender status. "He's going to be the father, and I'm going to be the mother," she said.
The couple, who operate a T-shirt printing business in Bend, Oregon, are legally married and he is recognized under Oregon state law as a man.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Obama to Expand Faith Based Programs
Obama to Expand Bush's Faith Based Programs
Obama announces support and expansion for Bush's faith based programs
By JENNIFER LOVEN Associated Press Writer
CHICAGO July 1, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press
Reaching out to evangelical voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans that would expand President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — support their ability to hire and fire based on faith.
Obama was unveiling his approach to getting religious charities more involved in government anti-poverty programs during a tour and remarks Tuesday at Eastside Community Ministry in Zanesville, Ohio. The arm of Central Presbyterian Church operates a food bank, provides clothes, has a youth ministry and provides other services in its impoverished community.
"The challenges we face today, from putting people back to work to improving our schools, from saving our planet to combating HIV/AIDS to ending genocide, are simply too big for government to solve alone," Obama was to say, according to a prepared text of his remarks obtained by The Associated Press. "We need all hands on deck."
But Obama's support for letting religious charities that receive federal funding consider religion in employment decisions was likely to invite a storm of protest from those who view such faith requirements as discrimination.
David Kuo, a conservative Christian who was deputy director of Bush's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives until 2003 and later became a critic of Bush's commitment to the cause, said Obama's position has the potential to be a major "Sister Souljah moment" for his campaign.
This is a reference to Bill Clinton's accusation in his 1992 presidential campaign that the hip hop artist incited violence against whites. Because Clinton said this before a black audience, it fed into an image of him as a bold politician who was willing to take risks and refused to pander.
"It would be a very, very, very interesting thing," said Kuo, who is not an Obama adviser or supporter but was contacted by the campaign to review the new plan.
Obama announces support and expansion for Bush's faith based programs
By JENNIFER LOVEN Associated Press Writer
CHICAGO July 1, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press
Reaching out to evangelical voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans that would expand President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — support their ability to hire and fire based on faith.
Obama was unveiling his approach to getting religious charities more involved in government anti-poverty programs during a tour and remarks Tuesday at Eastside Community Ministry in Zanesville, Ohio. The arm of Central Presbyterian Church operates a food bank, provides clothes, has a youth ministry and provides other services in its impoverished community.
"The challenges we face today, from putting people back to work to improving our schools, from saving our planet to combating HIV/AIDS to ending genocide, are simply too big for government to solve alone," Obama was to say, according to a prepared text of his remarks obtained by The Associated Press. "We need all hands on deck."
But Obama's support for letting religious charities that receive federal funding consider religion in employment decisions was likely to invite a storm of protest from those who view such faith requirements as discrimination.
David Kuo, a conservative Christian who was deputy director of Bush's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives until 2003 and later became a critic of Bush's commitment to the cause, said Obama's position has the potential to be a major "Sister Souljah moment" for his campaign.
This is a reference to Bill Clinton's accusation in his 1992 presidential campaign that the hip hop artist incited violence against whites. Because Clinton said this before a black audience, it fed into an image of him as a bold politician who was willing to take risks and refused to pander.
"It would be a very, very, very interesting thing," said Kuo, who is not an Obama adviser or supporter but was contacted by the campaign to review the new plan.
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