Rights And Beliefs: LGBT Laws That You Must Be Aware Of In India!

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It’s been 25 months since the government ruled out Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and acknowledged consensual homosexual sex between adults as legal.

But what still makes it inequitable is the constant objection offered by half the country — the constantly given looks full of disgust and words of utterly divisive judgement!

25 months of freedom and 25 additional months of remaining behind the closet!

While half of the janta is not ready to accept homosexuals and transgender people, the other half is loving and welcoming them with open arms. And with the constantly slow yet increasing rate of acceptance demands acknowledgement and awareness more than ever.

Let’s try to know more about the laws that favour the LGBT community and enable them to get their equal rights.

Same-sex marriages

Same-sex marriages are not yet legal in India; neither same-sex couples are offered rights such as a civil union or a domestic partnership. However, 2011 witnessed a Haryana court granting legal recognition to a same-sex marriage involving two women.

In 2017, a draft of a new Uniform Civil Code was proposed to the Law Commission of India that also involved the demand of legalising same-sex marriages.

It defines marriage as “the legal union as prescribed under this Act of a man with a woman, a man with another man, a woman with another woman, a transgender with another transgender or a transgender with a man or a woman. All married couples in partnership entitled to adopt a child. Sexual orientation of the married couple or the partners not to be a bar to their right to adoption. Non-heterosexual couples will be equally entitled to adopt a child”.

Discrimination protection

According to Article 15 of the Constitution of India, discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth is strictly prohibited.

The Transgender Persons Act, 2019 also rules out any kind of discrimination against transgender people. However, the community have protested against it, claiming that the bill hurts the transgender community more than helping it.

Discrimination in high schools

Discrimination, bullying and ragging targeted at a student on the ground of their sexual orientation or transgender status are prohibited under the UGC Regulation on Curbing the Menace of Ragging in Higher Educational Institutions (Third Amendment), 2016.

Service in Indian Military

The LGBTI community is also banned from openly serving in the Indian Military. But, Member of Parliament Jagdambika Pal (BJP), in 2018, introduced a bill to the Indian Parliament to amend the Army Act, the Air Force Act, and the Navy Act that would allow LGBT people to serve in the military.

Transgender rights

The Indian Constitution recognises transgender people as a third gender population — neither male nor female. The community got its voting rights as a third gender in 1994. Recognised as socially and economically suppressed class, they are also entitled to reservations in education and jobs and the welfare schemes framed by the union and state governments.

People from the transgender community have a fundamental constitutional right to change their gender without any surgery and the entitlement of mandatory recognition of their gender as a third gender on official documents.

In April 2019, the Madras High Court declared that the term “bride” under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 would include trans women as well.

State laws

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s plan Saathiya also includes homosexuality and states, “Yes, adolescents frequently fall in love. They can feel attraction for a friend or any individual of the same or opposite sex. It is normal to have special feelings for someone. It is important for adolescents to understand that such relationships are based on mutual consent, trust, transparency and respect. It is alright to talk about such feelings to the person for whom you have them but always in a respectful manner.”

The Madras High Court, in 2019, directed Tamil Nadu to ban sex-selective surgeries on intersex infants and upheld the marriage rights of transgender women.

There is a lot to happen, loads of petitions are pending — we are yet to witness more historical judgments, and while we wait for all of those — we need to make ourselves first. We need to accept the community and tell them that they are ours, and we belong to them — that we all are equal and deserve an equal way to live our lives. We need to prove ourselves first!

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A woman’s pelvic floor is a delicate, often misunderstood part of her body. But, it deserves attention nonetheless. A woman’s pelvic floor has the important job of supporting the bladder, uterus, and bowel so they can do their jobs! A Healthy Pelvic Floor should be strong and able to contract as well as relax when necessary. This response should occur with minimal awareness- automatically without you needing to think about it or control it.⠀

Pelvic floor exercises for women, as the name suggests, are a set of exercises that can be done by women to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles. Urinary incontinence and pregnancy are usually considered as reasons for weak pelvic floor muscles.

What are the Pelvic Floor Muscles?

Pelvic floor muscles are the ones that form a sling inside your pelvis and hold up your bladder, bowel, and uterus. Your pelvic floor muscles play a key role in maintaining the shape of your pelvic girdle and keeping these critical organs in place.

What is the role of these muscles?

Pelvic floor muscles are the most important group of muscles in the body. These muscles will help to keep pelvic organs in place, prevent or treat urinary incontinence, constipation, and other issues. Their main role is to be involved in

💩 Bowel Health
🚽 Bladder Health
👶 Reproduction
💋 Sexual function

Women face pelvic floor weakness after childbirth or due to aging. Weak pelvic muscles are also caused due to bad posture, poor bowel and bladder behavior, core weakness, and many other reasons. These muscles are also responsible for good sexual function. healthy and strong muscles can result in less pelvic pain during intercourse

Pelvic Floor Exercises

Pelvic floor exercises are important for strengthening the muscles in this area, which can help with urinary incontinence and give women more control over their bladder. These exercises can be done lying down on one’s back on the floor, sitting up in a chair (with proper back support), or standing with feet apart and squatting.

However, it is best to meet a physiotherapist to learn the correct form of exercise before starting them.

Benefits of Pelvic Floor Exercises

Pelvic floor exercises are good for developing these muscles and preventing health problems in that area.
They help to reduce the risk of vaginal & rectal prolapsed and speed up recovery after childbirth.
Strong muscles will help with recovery post-pregnancy.
Strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles and regulating its contractions helps with a Healthier bladder and bowel behavior.
Helps in improving sexual health and sexual functions

1. Kegels

Kegels is an exercise for contracting and relaxing pelvic floor muscles and is named after American gynecologist Arnold Henry Kegel. He invented them as a non-surgical treatment of urinary continence which is caused by perineal muscle weakness. Do not do Kegels on muscles that are already tight it may make the problem worse.

Sit down in a relaxing position. Identify the muscles that can stop urine leakage.
Tighten those muscles of your body.
Hold yourself in this position for 3-5 seconds.
Release the muscles and relax your body.
Repeat the exercise about 8-10 times.

2. Squats

A strong core can support the pelvic muscles and improve your pelvic health as they engage one of the largest muscles in your body ensure to stay firm and tighten your belly While performing squats. You must know how to breathe, what area to tighten and release during which part of the exercise.

Stand with your feet hip width apart.
Bend up to your knees to let your buttocks down towards the floor. Go down as much as you feel comfortable.
Make sure your back is straight and it should be tilted forward. Knees should be in line with your toes.
Tighten your buttocks and pelvic floor when you stand up.
Repeat the exercise for 10 times in a set.
Take some rest and then do another set.

3. Bird Dog

This exercise helps to work on abs, back, glutes, hips, and a full-bodied movement and includes pelvic floor muscles as well.

Go on all fours. Keep wrists parallel to your shoulders and knees parallel to your hips. Your back must be straight and your neck in a neutral position.
Tighten your core and keep your shoulder blades down towards your hips.
Now, straighten and raise your left leg and then right arm. Keep your pelvis and shoulders neutral. Keep your head straight. Hold the position for 2-3 seconds.
Bend and lower your leg and arm. Maintain stability in your body and then switch the position by raising your right leg and left arm. This can be called as 1 repetition.
You can do 10 repetitions and 3 sets of this exercise.

4. Bridge

The bridge is also a crucial part of pelvic floor exercises for women. it strengthens the core and glutes as well and it activates several pelvic floor muscles of your body.

Lie on your back, then bend your knees. Keep your feet flat on the floor while keeping them some width apart. Keep your arms on their sides with palms facing downwards.
Tighten your buttocks and pelvic floor muscles, and lift them up.
Hold the position for 3-5 seconds while maintaining stability.
Relax your buttocks and pelvic floor muscles, and lower your body to the ground.
Go back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise for about 10 times.
Take rest after 10 sets and then perform two more.

5. Split Tabletop

Split Tabletop is a leg exercise that is usually performed in Pilates. When you add the split, you activate your abs, and hips along with pelvic floor muscles.

Lie down on the floor on the support of your back. Keep your knees bent so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor.
Keep your abs tightened and inner thighs activated with legs touching each other.
Now, start splitting your legs so your knee falls outward while moving towards a comforting position.
Then, raise your body and start again.
You can do 10-15 repetitions and 3 sets of this exercise.

What to consider when doing pelvic floor exercises?

Pelvic floor muscle exercises are done either lying down or sitting. It is recommended that pelvic floor exercises be performed at least twice a day. In order to successfully complete a pelvic floor exercise, you must contract and release your muscles ten times.

It is important to get examined by a physiotherapist before starting any exercises as they cause more harm than good if done incorrectly. Physiotherapists help to understand your pelvic health and help them to exercise these muscles to reduce the risk of symptoms

Women with tighter muscles may need a release and stretching before they can start strengthening them. If done wrong or if done by someone who is not a candidate for these exercises, it may make the problem worse.

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