ABOUT US
Parma is a support group for same sex relationships amongst women; lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender. Based within Vikalp (Women's Group) premises, working closely with the organization. It is the only group in the State that addresses issues of women’s same sex relationships.
Parma's Beliefs
Women's secondary status rooted in the hetero-patriarchal structures, mediated by other factors such as religion, caste, and class, projects heterosexuality as the norm/ natural way, to control sexual choices particularly of women. Parma believes that transformation both personal and structural is possible. In working amongst the variously vulnerable women, Parma along with Vikalp hopes to create a just society, based upon partnerships that recognize the multiplicity of genders and sexual choices. It works towards enabling the articulation and realization of one’s own choices.
Through Parma, we attempt to cover a range of activities some planned and others determined by crisis, including interventions to prevent and bring to light violations of human rights faced by people in same sex relationships.
Parma as a resource center: Parma has a modest collection of books, reports, newspaper articles, and other movement related materials such as research papers, films, posters, and pamphlets. These have been useful to share with groups and individuals to develop an understanding on sexuality.
Help line and Post Box number: For women who prefer anonymity, Vikalp runs a helpline and has a post box number where women can reach the organization for help and support. Continuing with conversations, Parma organizes face to face meetings with concerned women, their partners, and friends, engaging with the families as well. The help line has also been accessed by school children, teachers, and people who feel the need to understand sexual health.
Meetings & Film Shows:Regular meetings are held on a range of issues (marriage pressure, disapprovals, mode of dress and conduct, behavior correction pressures) that emerge out of daily lives and within the larger context of organizing and collectivizing. Film screenings are followed by group discussions. We also hold Informal gatherings such as picnics to have fun, which creates a comfortable environment to dress and act in any desired way.
Creating an understanding on sexuality in different forums:The lack of legitimacy along with stigma attached to same sex relationships makes it crucial to spread awareness on the centrality of sexuality in people's lives. The hierarchical valuing of issues further silences people of same sex desires. When poverty and hunger are exclusively projected as important for a poor country, the intersectional complexities of sexuality and gender find no place. Parma’s effort is to engage with such attitudes and induce change.
Interventions: We support people in crisis through appropriate actions such as listening and sharing legal and medical information. Networking within the state and outside, we work together to exchange ideas on issues of sexuality.
Workshops/Seminars: Parma/ Vikalp has organized workshops for the community of people with same sex relationships and those who are sensitive to the issue. In addition we have organized meetings for activists within the group to sensitize them on alternate sexuality. We have also lead workshops on sexuality for other groups.
Documentation: We undertake the creation of need based material such as posters, booklets, pamphlets, reports and their dissemination.
Fact finding work:When stories about violations of rights emerge, Parma joins and initiates visits with groups and individuals to travel out, and within the state to undertake fact finding visits. Through these visits we endeavor to present perspectives and stories that rarely find a voice.
Safe Space:Parma works to create a safe space for people outside the gender binary. We aim to give visibility and a voice, supporting the community in any way possible