Queering Climate Justice: A Study into the State of Preparedness of Queer Networks in India
摘要
Literature about the impact of climate change on queer groups unequivocally identifies gender minorities as silent victims of climatic extremities. Harassment of transgenders in flood-tormented Tamil Nadu practically every Indian monsoon has been documented in studies on this subject. Transwomen, locally known as aravanis, post the 2004 tsunami, found themselves increasingly corned by the heteronormative society. Relief and compensation were denied to families of aravanis, whom the fatal waves had swept away. Those fortunate to garner relief shelter spaces faced discrimination in allocating materials. Similar has been reported, by All Assam Transgender Association, from relief camps of Assam post incidents of widespread seasonal flooding. In the distribution of rations, too, post-disaster, the marginalisation of the queer population has been noted in the state. Reality thus justifies the prioritisation of climate justice and the inclusion of queer rights at its core. Literature underlines the high prevalence of homelessness, low income, low education, inadequate access to health infrastructure and lack of employment opportunities as principal issues enhancing vulnerabilities of the queer population of India. It has been argued that queering the perception of climate justice can bring these challenges to the fore and facilitate resolution through governmental policies, programs, initiatives and campaigns. While the majority of studies have emphasised the vitality of climate justice implementation and queer inclusion, exploration of the preparedness of queer communities to demand such action from governmental and relevant agencies is scanty. Simply put, what is the queer community thinking or planning to do to mitigate adversities of climatic extremities, has not been answered unambiguously, if at all. Evaluation of awareness and understanding among queers about probable effects of climate change, problems they might encounter post-disaster and relief inclusive climate justice can offer. Therefore, the relevance of demanding its prioritisation and implementation requires detailed documentation. Basis in-depth interviews with 10 key informants, this chapter seeks to assess how ready are the queer communities of Eastern India to claim their inclusion within climate justice structures and initiatives. Participants will be selected from among queer activists, queer academicians and founders of queer support groups and subjected to in-depth questioning about their views, action plans, initiatives taken and design and quantum of mobilisation campaigns regarding queer inclusion in climate justice actions. Open-ended questionnaires will be administered to elicit detailed responses from participants. Data will be subjected to thematic analysis to identify themes which, it is hypothesised, will indicate queer activism and planning are at nascent stages regarding queering of climate justice. This chapter is expected to highlight that though some initiatives are being undertaken, the quantum continues to lie below the required level, therefore adversely affecting wider awareness among queer individuals of Eastern India about climate change perils and climate justice shields.