Hyderabad, August 07: AP State AIDS Control Society Project Director, R V Chandravadan made a strong plea for a more balanced portrayal of LGBTs (Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgendered) by the media and public relations Agencies.
He was making the comments as part of his keynote speech at the National Public Relations Education Day.
The theme was Public Relations Education — a Prerequisite for Excellence in Professional Practice.
Chandravadan used the occasion to remind the media/ PR industry that LGBTs were worthy of dignity too and should not be crushed under the weight of media sensationalism.
“Are you articulating the concerns of stakeholders in a sensitive and caring manner,” he asked.
While welcoming the reading down of Section 377 by the Delhi High Court he asked whether the rights of sexual minorities were being protected. “But the talk is often about going against the order of nature. The media has to articulate the concerns of groups that have no voice,” he said. “But scrolls and breaking news are getting in the way of voicing their rights,” he added.
Chandravadan cautioned the media against using certain terms: “Prostitute”, “scourge” (while describing HIV/AIDS), “gay”, “homosexual” and “drug user”. He said that using these terms was traumatising to a community that was already living under great social stigma.
“MSM” should be used instead of “gay” and LGBT could be used to describe the whole spectrum of alternate sexuality.
“I am happy to note that the national media is slowly getting sensitised to the issue of how to report on sexual minorities, but stringers at the district level still use loaded terms in their reportage,” he said. He added that HIV/AIDS organisations and the media were working at the national, State and district level to come up with proper terminology to be used in reporting on AIDS and LGBTs.
Chandravadan said that he represented the State’s 5.25 lakh people infected with HIV/AIDS. “We have a large number of MSMs (Men who have sex with Men) in Andhra Pradesh, but don’t talk about it because it is pushed under the carpet,” he said. He requested the media and PR agencies to take care while reporting on sensitive issues. “Look at yourself and rediscover your roots,” was his advice. Chandravadan ruminated about whether PR was working for the public good or was employed in the service of private or corporate good. He said that a balance between the two had to be struck
–Agencies–