"Kothis" reducing risk to HIV and sexual violence among their community
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| Clinic manned by MSM doctors providing medical aid to Kothis in Lucknow |
Having faced ages of neglect, denial and invisibility, “Kothis” (feminised males) are now being mobilized by groups like ‘Bharosa‘ in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (India) to be empowered and demonstrate leadership in reaching out within their community for increasing access to essential services including HIV prevention, care, treatment and support services. They are routinely encouraged to practice safer sexual practices and protect themselves from any kind of abuse or exploitation. Read more
Kothis or feminised males are unique and don’t necessarily identify with gender identities of a man, woman, or other identities now increasingly getting accepted like those of gays or men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM).
Kothis are neither gays nor eunuchs due to which they are outcasts in these groups and several rungs lower in social status. Thus sans any rights within the said group, they are often severely exploited and abused.
The gays often consider them uncouth and crass while the Hijra community usually refuses to accept them as they are not anatomically qualified to join their brood. The general population where sexual or gender identity other than the man or woman is often not accepted, is most unlikely to accept Kothis exist in the society.
Predictably the Kothis remained a dirty secret in the society, abused and neglected that all know about but refuse to acknowledge.
Twenty seven year old Rama (name changed upon request), a kothi, is a social mobiliser functioning to educate his reclusive community of Kothis (feminised males) on how to survive in a hostile societal background. He works in posh neighbourhoods of Lucknow which doubles-up as pick-up points for men interested in having sex with men. Kothis are on list of preferences as this community as a discipline indulges in sex purely for pleasure and not money. So it’s fun for free!
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| Bharosa Lucknow team that
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