Samara Society Yeshwanthpur

The Center is committed to a policy of non-discrimination in employment and in the provision of all services.

SamaraYes is a Rights-based organisation of Sexual and Gender Minorities. We are a community of sexual minorities of all identities and we work with sexual minorities. We aim to bring together, collectivise and assist sexuality minorities of all identities, including lesbians, bisexuals, homosexuals, gays, kothis, jogappas, Double Deckers, Hijras, transgender people and others who are discriminated against due to their sexual orientation and, or gender identity. We are not excluding others not mentioned here. We encourage and assist our community to live their lives with self-acceptance, self-respect and dignity; We aim and work to bring sexuality, sexual orientation, identity and gender identity into the realm of public discourse and link it to gender, human rights and development issues and movements in India.

SamaraYes advocates and lobbies for the changes in the existing laws which discriminate against sexuality minorities and for shaping the public opinion and discourse on these issues. We work with both the general population, bureaucrats, policy makers, politicians and others like the media, judiciary and police. We also work with family members, friends, co-workers and partners of sexuality minorities. We focus on working with lesbian, bisexual, homosexual women, who are doubly disadvantaged, as sexual minorities and as women. We also work with Kothis, Hijras and transgender people, who face oppression due to their gender nonconformity. We also work with people of inter-sex, especially female-born. We actively advocate for the rights of sex-workers and people living with HIV.

We emphasize the concerns of sexuality minorities from poor and non-English speaking background and sexuality minority sex workers who otherwise have little or no access to information and resources. At the same time, we sensitise corporate communities and build bridges with English speaking, elite communities.