2014

SEXUALITY ACADEMY 

We, at Sappho, were trying to develop a comprehensive idea of violence and violation, generally happening on biological and self identified women and locate sexuality as an overarching issue related to these along with gender as an important category of analysis. The Sexuality Academy is a result of such thoughts and ideas that we had developed over a long period of time. The Academy will try to provide a basic theoretical understanding of sexuality and sexualities, connect it with the ‘self’ and explore the interconnectivity between sexuality and other development issues. The academy is designed for the explicit need of the Bengali speaking front line social workers of organisations working on specialised rights/development issues to forge a strong linkage with sexuality. Sappho for Equality, through this academy, aims to discuss with participants an intersectional understanding of gender-sexuality, through a historical as well as contemporary lens. For example, we will discuss gender-sexuality issues through the state, religion, caste, body and mind, disability, livelihood, morality-immorality, law, and contemporary movements.

BEYOND BOUNDARIES 

Beyond Boundaries is a series of public programs that was envisioned with the focus of stepping out of the metropolis into the suburbs. This pilot program was aimed at mobilizing awareness programs on gender-sexuality and non-normative gender sexual expression with the general public, women and students. 

For a long time, SFE’s activities were focused on urban spaces. The District Awareness Program at Farakka, WB, was the first program that was conducted to interact with different groups with different methodologies, away from the urban spaces. 

The program took place on the 16th of January, 2015. It was organized in collaboration with a local Organization, Kuttitola Human Welfare Society (KHWS), Malda, WB working on anti-trafficking. The need to conduct district awareness programs at village levels, sprouted from the interest KHWS showed in working with SFE on LGBT rights cause since anti-trafficking also involves dealing with M to F transgender persons in rural areas. 

The popular folk theater from Gambheera was used to address the floating rural mass. Documentary films, pamphlets, brochures and other publications in vernacular were also utilised to create meaningful dialogue around gender-sexuality and homosexuality from the rights-justice perspective. 

Furthermore, various modifications were made in the workshop module not only in terms of geographical locations but also in terms of the nature of work so as to stretch our boundaries.