New Delhi:

The Union Government has written a letter to States and Union Territories and asked them to ensure that members of the queer community (LGBTQ+) get equal rights in prison and there is no discrimination in access to goods and services, especially with reference to prison visitation rights.

The letter written by Director (Prison Reforms) reads that it has been the constant endeavour of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to reach out to all States and Union Territories and share contemporary guidelines and best practices on varied aspects of efficient prison administration and management.

It has come to the notice of this ministry that members of the queer community (LGBTQ+) are often discriminated against because of their gender identity or sexual orientation and often face violence and disrespect. With the objective of ensuring that there is no discrimination in access to goods and services to the queer community, which are available to the public at large, especially with reference to prison visitation rights, the following guidelines are reiterated.

The Model Prison Manual (2016 reads that every prisoner shall be allowed reasonable facilities for seeing or communicating with his/her family members, relatives, friends and legal advisers for the preparation of an appeal, procuring bail or for arranging the management of his/her property and family affairs. He/she shall be allowed to have interviews with his/her family members, relatives, friends and legal advisers once in a fortnight. On admission, every prisoner should submit a list of persons who are likely to interview him or her and the interview shall be restricted to such family members, relatives and friends.

The conversation at the interviews shall be limited to private and domestic matters and there shall be no reference to prison administration and discipline or to other prisoners or politics. The number of persons who may interview a prisoner at one time shall ordinarily be limited to three. Interviews with female prisoners shall, if practicable, take place in the female enclosure/ward.

It is reiterated that these provisions equally apply to the members of queer community and they can meet a person of their choice without any discrimination or judgement.

It further reads that the Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023, states that prisoners may communicate with their Visitors, namely family members, relatives and friends through physical or virtual mode, under proper supervision of prison authorities. Visitors to inmates shall be verified/authenticated through biometric verification/identification.

Foreign prisoners may communicate with their family members and consular representatives, as prescribed under the rules. Every prisoner shall be allowed reasonable facilities of meeting or communicating with their family members (natal or chosen) relatives, friends and legal advisers for preparation of appeal or for procuring bail or for arranging the management of their property and family affairs. They shall be allowed to have interviews with their family members, relatives, friends and legal advisers.

It is reiterated that these provisions equally apply to the members of queer community and they can meet a person of their choice without any discrimination or judgement.

All state and UT Prison authorities are requested to take note of the above and sensitise the concerned officials at all levels to ensure that all persons are treated equally in a fair and just manner and no person, especially those belonging to queer community, are discriminated against in any manner whatsoever.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A Sydney council has voted to ban same-sex parenting books from local libraries, sparking discrimination and censorship concerns. According to The Guardian, at a meeting last week, the Cumberland City Council in western Sydney voted on a new plan for its eight libraries. The amendment, put forward by the former mayor and current councillor Steve Christou, proposed that the council take immediate action to remove same-sex parenting books and materials from its library services. He cited public complaints about the book to push for their removal. 

During the meeting, Mr Christou displayed a book titled ‘Same-Sex Parents’ by Holly Duhig and claimed that it had distressed parents due to its placement in the children’s section of the library. “We’re going to make it clear tonight that … these kind of books, same-sex parents books, don’t find their way to our kids,” he said,” as per The Guardian. 

“Our kids shouldn’t be sexualised.. This community is a very religious community, a very family-orientated community. They don’t want such controversial issues going against their beliefs indoctrinated to their libraries. This is not Marrickville or Newtown, this is Cumberland city council,” Mr Christou continued. 

The former mayor added that toddlers shouldn’t be “exposed” to same-sex content and that the proposed amendment was “for the protection and safety of our children”.”Hands off our kids,” he repeated. 

The council’s decision to ban same-sex parenting books has prompted discussions about representing diverse families in library collections. The New South Wales government has warned that the move could be a breach of the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act. Cumberland mayor Lisa Lake said she was “appalled” and “saddened” by the move. She noted that the content of the book, as with others in the series, was “age appropriate” and did not include any sexual content.

“I think it’s a serious issue about censorship,” she said, as per The Independent. “It’s important that information is available to anyone who wants to look at that information,” she added. 

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Auburn MP Lynda Voltz has asked the NSW arts minister, John Graham, to look at the matter. “I am greatly concerned at the decision of Cumberland council and believe that it may possibly risk breaching the guidelines for funding of libraries and may also be in breach of the Anti-Discrimination Act,” she said, as per The Guardian.

“The overwhelming majority of the people in Auburn will tell you that everyone is welcome and we pride ourselves on being a peaceful and friendly community,” she added. 

Separately, speaking on the matter, John Graham emphasised that it should be up to readers to choose which books they pick from the shelves. “When civilisations turn to book burning books or banning books it is a very bad sign. That is equally true for local councils,” he said. 

“We are examining the consequences this decision may have for the council continuing to receive library funding from the NSW government,” he added.

Meanwhile, Mr Christou clarified that the move was not targeted at the LGBTQ+ community but towards any books that promoted “sexualising”. 

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has sparked a social media debate with his recent comments on transgender people. During his closing speech at the 2023 Conservative Party conference on October 4, he shared his stance on gender debate and said, “A man is a man and a woman is a woman”. 

Addressing the conference, he noted, “We shouldn’t get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be – they can’t. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. That’s just common sense.”

”We are going to change this country and that means, life means life. That shouldn’t be a controversial position. The vast majority of hard-working people agree with it. It also shouldn’t be controversial for parents to know what their children are learning in school about relationships. Patients should know when hospitals are talking about men or women,” he added. 

Couldn’t believe it when I heard these words coming out his mouth

“We shouldn’t be bullied into thinking anyone can be any sex that they want to be. A man is a man and a woman is a woman, that is just common sense.”

Transphobic much? #trans#RishiSunak#PoliticsLivepic.twitter.com/sv3butBaad

— Julia M (@Julia_Milligan1) October 4, 2023

Though some supported his views, many were angry for making ”disrespectful” comments towards the transgender community. Some mocked him saying that his remarks are far away from ”common sense.”

One user said, ”The persistent attacks on not only one of the smallest but most at-risk communities are vile. Absolutely disgusting party through and through including anyone who supports them.”

Another commented, ”I’m so fed up with Sunak talking up the importance of maths, yet his biology knowledge is so poor. Biological sex is so complicated and interesting and not at all “common sense”. This is before getting involved in the gender argument that affects the trans debate.”

A third said, ”Sunak does not seem to grasp the difference between sex and gender. The Tory party is getting more and more radical by the minute, it’s scary.” A fourth agreed with him saying, ”That’s about as much truth as someone in government has spoken in a long time.”

Notably, his comments come after Health Secretary Steve Barclay on October 3 proposed a plan to ban transgender women from being treated in female hospital wards in England. The health secretary also confirmed sex-specific language would be used when dealing with women’s health, as per Sky News.  The proposal sparked a backlash from moderate Tory MPs, who fear LGBTQ+ people are being targeted.

Mr Sunak’s stance on transgender rights was clear when he said in April that ”women do not have penises.”  In an interview with ConservativeHome, Mr Sunak was asked about his thoughts on a statement claiming “99.9 percent of women, of course, do not have penises”.

“What percentage would you put it at?” Mr Sunak was asked. The UK PM laughed at the question, however, when grilled about whether he thought the figure was actually 100 percent, Mr Sunak replied, “Yeah, of course.”

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has sparked a social media debate with his recent comments on transgender people. During his closing speech at the 2023 Conservative Party conference on October 4, he shared his stance on gender debate and said, “A man is a man and a woman is a woman”. 

Addressing the conference, he noted, “We shouldn’t get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be – they can’t. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. That’s just common sense.”

”We are going to change this country and that means, life means life. That shouldn’t be a controversial position. The vast majority of hard-working people agree with it. It also shouldn’t be controversial for parents to know what their children are learning in school about relationships. Patients should know when hospitals are talking about men or women,” he added. 

Couldn’t believe it when I heard these words coming out his mouth

“We shouldn’t be bullied into thinking anyone can be any sex that they want to be. A man is a man and a woman is a woman, that is just common sense.”

Transphobic much? #trans#RishiSunak#PoliticsLivepic.twitter.com/sv3butBaad

— Julia M (@Julia_Milligan1) October 4, 2023

Though some supported his views, many were angry for making ”disrespectful” comments towards the transgender community. Some mocked him saying that his remarks are far away from ”common sense.”

One user said, ”The persistent attacks on not only one of the smallest but most at-risk communities are vile. Absolutely disgusting party through and through including anyone who supports them.”

Another commented, ”I’m so fed up with Sunak talking up the importance of maths, yet his biology knowledge is so poor. Biological sex is so complicated and interesting and not at all “common sense”. This is before getting involved in the gender argument that affects the trans debate.”

A third said, ”Sunak does not seem to grasp the difference between sex and gender. The Tory party is getting more and more radical by the minute, it’s scary.” A fourth agreed with him saying, ”That’s about as much truth as someone in government has spoken in a long time.”

Notably, his comments come after Health Secretary Steve Barclay on October 3 proposed a plan to ban transgender women from being treated in female hospital wards in England. The health secretary also confirmed sex-specific language would be used when dealing with women’s health, as per Sky News.  The proposal sparked a backlash from moderate Tory MPs, who fear LGBTQ+ people are being targeted.

Mr Sunak’s stance on transgender rights was clear when he said in April that ”women do not have penises.”  In an interview with ConservativeHome, Mr Sunak was asked about his thoughts on a statement claiming “99.9 percent of women, of course, do not have penises”.

“What percentage would you put it at?” Mr Sunak was asked. The UK PM laughed at the question, however, when grilled about whether he thought the figure was actually 100 percent, Mr Sunak replied, “Yeah, of course.”