Dear Siddharth,
Please add my name to the protest letter.
G. Arunima
Associate Professor
Women's Studies Programme
School of Social Sciences
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi 110067
Tel: 01126704178 (dir)
01126704166(off)
Email:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On 5/11/07, Anivar Aravind <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
>
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> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> Some of us have drafted a letter of protest to the Principal of St.
> Joseph's
> College of Communication in Changanassery, which has recently expelled
> five
> students for making a film on homosexuality.
> I have attached the final petition to this email. If you would like to
> sign
> on to the petition, please send an email with your name and designation,
> if
> any, to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or please email me so I can add your name
> to
> the petition.
>
> Thanks
> Siddharth
>
>
> - ----------------------------
> * Please go through the following petition. If you do wish to sign on,
> please send an email, with your name and designation, if any, to
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
> To,
> The Principal
> St. Josephs College of Communication,
> Changanassery
>
> Dear Ma'am/Sir,
>
> Re: Students expelled for making film on homosexuality.
>
> We are deeply disturbed at the expulsion of five students from your
> institution on the ground that they made a film that explores homosexual
> themes. The film titled 'Secret Minds', as you are aware, is a short
> film on homosexuality made as an entry for the competition section of an
> inter-college short film festival in Thiruvananthapuram.
> According to newspaper reports the management of your institution felt
> that the film, by portraying homosexuality had transgressed the limits
> of decency and moral values that your institution stood for. We, the
> undersigned, find these reasons completely unacceptable, and would like
> to express our shock and outrage at your action.
>
> Homosexuality in India is a topic that is taboo and is largely left out
> of public discourse. However, as you may be aware, there is a growing
> movement for the rights of sexual minorities in this country, which
> argues that all persons irrespective of their sexual orientation and
> gender identity have the right to live with dignity. In fact, the
> constitutional validity of the law criminalizes homosexuality in India
> is currently under challenge before the Delhi High Court. The acts of
> your institution have effectively censored a film on homosexuality, thus
> repudiating a certain way of life and denying homosexuals and other
> sexual minorities validation of their lifestyles through public
> portrayal and constituting an official condemnation of homosexuality.
>
> Historically, it is the incursions of the State into free speech that
> has been guarded against by academic institutions, film-makers, and
> artists. Instead, your institution by its actions has sought to act as
> the State and arbitrarily impose its own moral values in censoring this
> film.
>
> Merely because your institution is of the opinion that homosexuality is
> immoral it does not entitle your to censor the portrayal of
> homosexuality thus curtailing any debate or discussion around the issue.
> Furthermore, the invocation of the arbitrary standard of 'obscenity' or
> 'indecency' cannot be a legitimate reason for such an action, as this
> only becomes another reason to stifle debate and censor expression. It
> is the responsibility of an institution like yours to create a space
> that allows for the articulation of opinions that it may not agree with.
> It is only by pushing the limits of what is sayable and unsayable that
> such a space can be created. We believe that the actions of your
> institution in expelling these students for exercising their freedom of
> expression is completely unjustified and undermines the creation of such
> a space.
>
>
> As an academic institution, and particularly as a media and
> communications school, we believe that it is essential that your
> institution encourage diverse points of view and modes of expression.
> Academic growth and excellence can only be achieved in a space that is
> open to different ideas, where there is a culture of creativity and
> where people are not afraid to openly express themselves, and it is your
> institution's duty to ensure that such an atmosphere is cultivated.
> However, your institution's acts in expelling these students can only
> destroy the possibility of creating such an atmosphere and harms the
> reputation of your institution as a centre of academic excellence.
> As an institution that is training future film makers and media artists,
> your action in expelling these students undermines the role of film
> makers and artists who have always acted as guardians of the limits of
> free speech.
>
> Furthermore, what is extremely shocking is the disproportionate and
> arbitrary punishment given to the students. It is disturbing that your
> institution's response to the portrayal of homosexuality has been so
> vicious and brutal.
>
> We condemn your decision, demand that you reconsider your actions and
> reinstate the expelled students.
>
> * If you do wish to sign on, please send an email, with your name and
> designation, if any, to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> Annexure
>
>
> http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/apr282007/national222552007427.asp
>
> Deccan Herald, 28 April, 2007
> * Students expelled for making film on homosexuality *
> - From R Gopakumar DH News Service Thiruvananthapuram:
>
> A Catholic Church-run mass communications college in Kottayam has
> stirred a hornet's nest by expelling five students for making a film on
> homosexuality.
>
> The students are all fourth semester BA (multimedia) students of the St
> Joseph's College of Communications at Changanassery.
>
> The incident brings alive the raging worldwide debate on homosexuality
> to the church circles in Kerala.
>
> Neither the expelled students nor the authorities were readily willing
> to comment. Prathyush, one of the expelled students, told Deccan Herald
> that four of them had acted in the five-minute short film titled Secret
> Minds.
>
> The film depicting homosexuality was directed by an MA (film and TV)
> student Jeo Baby. He claimed that it was mainly intended for an
> inter-collegiate film festival here.
>
> The college management, however, felt that the film had transgressed the
> limits of decency and moral values that the college stood for and would
> have misled youths. The college authorities further said that the
> students misused the campus and college hostel premises for making the
> film and had also acted entirely nude in it. The management made clear
> its stand in the showcause notice issued to the students. The students
> were first served a showcause notice on March 23 and 27 and later
> expelled on April 2 on finding that their replies were unsatisfactory.
>
> However, Prathyush who was the only student willing to speak denied
> these allegations and said that they had exercised only their freedom of
> expression. The film was also well within the confines of the course to
> which they were admitted. Also, they had acted only partially nude as
> required by the script.
>
> "In any case, the film was not for public viewing but for a specific
> festival audience. They are just creating unnecessary fuss," he said.
>
> The students registered a complaint against the college with the Mahatma
> Gandhi University's grievance cell and also forwarded the notice which
> contained the charges against them.
>
> When contacted, college director Fr Sebastian refused to comment saying
> the issue was not over and was "undergoing certain processes".
>
> However, experts see the incident as an offshoot of the lack of
> theological guidance in the Church on the issue of homosexuality.
>
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