Tag: lgbtq community

NCP (SP) unveils manifesto; favours caste census, stresses on welfare of farmers and women

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) on Thursday unveiled its manifesto, favouring caste census and promising a separate commission for farmers’ welfare, right to apprenticeship, 50% reservation for women in jobs. The Sharad Pawar-led party said it supports full statehood for Jammu and Kashmir and rejects the idea of ‘one nation, one election’.

As per the manifesto, titled “Shapatnama”, the NCP (SP) will review and propose changes to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register for Citizens (NRC), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other laws “conflicting” with the constitutional principles. It also mentioned that the party advocates empowering state and local governments, reviewing power distribution and enforcing constitutional amendments.

“We will demand a constitutional amendment to raise the 50% cap on reservations. We will ban contract labour in government sectors and legally protect the contract workers’ benefits,” Maharashtra NCP(SP) president Jayant Patil said addressing a press conference here.

The manifesto, unveiled in the presence of NCP (SP) chief and former Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, also favours caste census, scrapping of the Agnipath scheme, safety audit for women and strengthening cyber laws related to them. The NCP (SP) said it endorses the five “nyay” (guarantees) of the Congress mentioned in the grand old party’s manifesto on the issues pertaining to farmers, youth, women, labourers and caste census.

Patil said if the party gets a chance to be in power at the Centre, it would give the Goods and Services Tax (GST) a “human face”. “LPG cylinder prices will be kept at ₹500 and if necessary, will be subsidised by the government. Petrol, diesel tax will be restructured,” he said.

To a query on Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking to know what Pawar has contributed to the agriculture sector, the NCP (SP) chief said, “I don’t wish to react to the remarks of those who have negligible knowledge of the sector. He should first speak on what his government has done in the last ten years.”

The manifesto also outlined the party’s foreign policy related to strategic global diplomacy, fostering partnerships that resonate with India’s role on the world stage, and highlighted the party’s views on national and internal security.

“We also prioritise judicial reforms, ensuring access to justice and inclusive representation within the judiciary,” the NCP (SP) said in the manifesto. Patil said the manifesto emphasises on “all-inclusive” development and speaks of affordable health and education, the party’s views on environment, art and culture and what is proposes to do if voted to power.

The Sharad Pawar-led party’s manifesto also highlights welfare measures for the LGBTQ community.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

To attract LGBTQ travellers Nepal is set to host its first Rainbow Conference

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Nepal is set to host its inaugural tourism conference aimed at showcasing the erstwhile Himalayan kingdom as a secure and appealing destination for travellers from the LGBTQ+ community. Dubbed ‘Yatra 2 Happiness: First Rainbow Tourism International Conference’, the two-day event is scheduled to be held on April 20-21 in Kathmandu.

Organised through a collaboration between the Nepal Tourism Board and Maya ko Pahichan Nepal (MKPN), the conference marks a groundbreaking endeavor in the country’s tourism landscape.

Sunil Babu Panta, executive director of MKPN and Nepal’s first openly LGBTQ+ lawmaker, anticipates a diverse audience including international tourism stakeholders, hoteliers, donor agencies, celebrities, and media representatives to participate in the conference.

Also read: Nepal becomes the first South Asian country to officially register same-sex marriage

This rainbow conference is expected to provide economic empowerment to Nepal’s LGBTQ+ community while fostering employment opportunities and propelling the nation’s tourism sector to new heights. Panta an LGBTQ+ activist, highlighted the event’s significance amid Nepal’s strides towards safeguarding the rights and well-being of sexual and gender minorities.

Also read: Nepal registers significant increase in number of Indian tourists during first six months of 2023

Nandini Lahe Thapa, interim CEO of the Nepal Tourism Board, pledged her support for the advancement of rainbow tourism within the country, recognising it as a tourism segment with immense potentials. Thapa highlighted the likelihood of attracting rainbow tourists from neighboring India and China, where advancements in LGBTQ+ rights and welfare have been relatively sluggish.

The conference promises a vibrant array of activities including entertainment shows, fashion exhibitions, culinary delights, film screenings, and enticing travel packages. With the participation of approximately 150 travel industry operators and hoteliers, the international Rainbow Tourism conference could go on to make a significant impact on Nepal’s tourism industry.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Deeply shattered and disappointed: LGBTQ community reacts to Supreme Court’s verdict on same-sex marriage

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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“I’m deeply shattered and disappointed with the fact that this is what the apex court bring for us as queer people,” said accessory designer Akassh k Aggarwal.

The writing down of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the year 2018 was a landmark judgement in the judicial history of India which decriminalised homosexuality. The watershed judgement sent a wave of hope and faith across the LGBTQIA+ community in the country. Five years down the line, however, the members of the community are let down by the seemingly progressive court’s verdict on the non-cishet (cisgender-heterosexual) marriages.

The Supreme Court on October 17 held that same-sex marriage is possible only through specific law and that it can’t read into existing laws. However, the bench – led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and comprising of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, Hima Kohli, and PS Narasimha – recognised the atrocities and discrimination faced by the members of the community on daily basis, and also unanimously agreed that queerness is neither urban nor an elite concept or characteristic.

“This is just like – ‘we know you’re in trauma but we can just know about it, can’t help it and can’t do anything about it,'” Aggarwal remarked.

The government has been directed to set up a committee to deliberate on the issue.

However, Aggarwal is not satisfied.

“A committee with no clear deadline or guidelines on how to work, who will be the people involved and timeline. There is no pressure for the government to enact what has been told by the apex court today and to enact as soon as possible,” he said.

Earlier, opposing the petition filed by couples in the Delhi High Court to legalise homosexual marriages, the Central Government had stated, “living together as partners and having sexual relationship by same sex individuals is not comparable with the Indian family unit concept of a husband, a wife and children which necessarily assumes a biological man as a ‘husband’, a biological woman as a ‘wife’ and the children born out of the union between the two”.

Aggarwal isn’t the only one from the community who feels let down by the verdict.

Also Read: Countries where same sex marriage is legal

Kittu Pannu, an Indian-American PhD candidate in counselling psychology in Tennessee, said, “Its very disappointing that the court didn’t provide any recommendations language for parliament, like getting them to suggest that parliament should take this up as a cause for the next legislative session. That would have been a great recommendation to do, but they did not do it and just said it is up to the parliament. And we have seen in the past, it is not an issue that politicians in general that are currently in power really care about.”

Vivek Shukla, CEO, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, on the other hand, is disheartened with the verdict, but believes it is essential to focus on the broader narrative and the progress we have made as a community.

“The Supreme Court’s observation that it is the legislature’s domain to change the law for validating such unions is a call to action for our lawmakers. It is a reminder that the journey for equal rights is far from over, and we must continue to advocate, educate, and raise awareness until every individual in our country can live and love freely,” Shukla said.

“Laws and guidelines play a really big role in creating acceptance at a ground level. When you have laws that are being enacted, or the lack of laws for that matter, as in this case, that don’t really show any sort of solidarity with minority, it signals to the general public that this isn’t a community that really matters,” Pannu said.

But it wasn’t until the arrival of the British in India that homosexuality was looked down upon as different and unnatural.

Also Read: Same-sex marriage: 7 observations Supreme Court made about LGBTQ+ rights 

In terms of accepting people of different sexual identities, the mentality of Indian society has regressed over the years. It hit its lowest with the enforcement of the Section 377 under British rule.

In 1860, during the Victorian rule, homosexual intercourse was considered unnatural and was declared a criminal offence under Chapter 16, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). After Independence, on November 26, 1949, the Right to Equality was implemented under Article 14, but homosexuality remained a criminal offence. However, ironically in 1967,

Britain itself decriminalised homosexual intercourse in England and Wales.

In the year 2009, the Delhi High Court issued a landmark decision in the Naz Foundation v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi case. It ruled that treating consensual homosexual sex between adults as crime is a violation of foundation rights protected by the Indian Constitution. However, in the Suresh Kumar Koushal and another v. NAZ Foundation and others case in 2013, the Supreme Court overturned the Delhi High Court Naz Foundation v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi case and reinstated Section 377 of the IPC.

In late 2015, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor introduced a bill to decriminalise homosexuality, but it was rejected by the Lok Sabha.

On September 6, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled Section 377 as unconstitutional unanimously – “in so far as it criminalises consensual sexual conduct between adults of the same sex”. The struggle for equal rights for the LGBTQIA+ community, however, continues.

Also Read: A lawyer’s quick take on why the apex court unanimously denies recognition to same-sex marriage

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Why has Canada warned LGBTQ+ residents against travelling to US?

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Canada recently updated its travel advisory for its citizens planning to visit the United States, prominently members of the LGBTQ+ community. While the Canadian Global Affairs department did not specify the states in question, it advised travellers to check the local laws of their destination before embarking on their journey. This advisory comes in response to laws enacted in some US states in 2023, which have banned drag shows and imposed restrictions on transgender individuals’ access to gender-affirming care and participation in sports.

Global Affairs spokesman Jérémie Bérubé highlighted the disparities in laws and customs related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics between Canada and the United States, potentially subjecting Canadians to various barriers and risks abroad.

Despite the advisory, there have been no reported complaints from Canadians regarding mistreatment or restrictions related to LGBTQ+ issues while in the US.

Also read: Top LGBTQ+ travel destinations where everyone is welcomed with open arms

The Human Rights Campaign, the US-based organisation advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ individuals in the US in June.

Earlier in May, a similar travel advisory was issued by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), warning potential tourists about recent laws and policies enacted by Governor Ron DeSantis. These laws include ban on gender-affirming care for minors, restrictions on drag shows, limitations on discussing personal pronouns in schools, and requirements for specific restroom usage.

Also read: 10 popular sex tourism destinations in the world frequented by women and men

In response to the travel advisory update, Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland emphasised that Global Affairs Canada issues such advisories based on professional assessments within the department, focusing on monitoring potential dangers. She reiterated the Canadian government’s commitment to prioritising the safety and interests of all Canadians. While the advisory has drawn criticism, LGBTQ+ rights advocates have commended the Canadian government’s action.

Nonetheless, the US Department of State has expressed commitment to promoting tolerance, inclusion, justice, and dignity, and advancing the equality and human rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

How the internet is helping head start conversations around asexuality

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Social media, as a platform, is a great place for meeting new people, trying new things and finding new places to explore. But on top of that, it is also a haven for people who are looking for acceptance and want to be surrounded by a group that understands them.

In 2014, Dr Pragati Singh took the initiative to help such people, bring them together and form a community. The LGBTQIA+ conversation in India is very hush-hush and thus Dr Singh founded Indian Aces. What was initially started as a closed Facebook group, has now grown into a movement that is a multiple award-winning, and grant-winning, volunteer-led initiative, with both online and offline presence across India.

According to Statista, only two percent of people in India identify as asexuals — an immensely small number for a country with such a dense population. Asexuality is a sexual orientation which is generally defined as the lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity. For a country that is obsessed with marriages, accepting, or even understanding, asexuality can be difficult and that is where Dr Singh’s movement helped build a community of acceptance and growth.

Being from a medical background, Dr Singh knew that she wanted to help move the conversation forward but she did not know how. She was introduced to GoDaddy, a web hosting company that helped her build the website from scratch — all on her own — and the rest is history. “The website that runs today, lead by a whole team still uses the original domain from 2014,” she says.

While people from the community, who call themselves the ‘aces’, want a warm and forthcoming welcome, they also do not want to be identified as just an ace, and why should they be?

Another sister initiative of Indian Aces is Humans of Queer, a Pride Month project, that showcases the life stories of people from the LGBTQIA+ community. Bhavesh Arora, a hotelier from Gurugram writes, “I first thought that I was afraid of sex. But after spending hours researching asexuality on the internet, I understood that I was an asexual person…I had earlier thought that I was ‘abnormal’, but after finding the asexual community, I learnt that there were many others like me.”

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It is not unusual for people to feel out of place or, as Arora put it, ‘abnormal’ when they find themselves different from the general norm. Last year, BBC interviewed Anahí Charles from Mexico for a story on asexuality and Charles expressed a similar feeling. She said she was “in denial” about not experiencing sexual attraction to anyone. She even went to get herself medically examined to check if something was wrong with her. Facebook came to her rescue and that’s where she first found out about asexuality and realised how much she could relate to it. A year later, she became the admin of an asexual Facebook group in Mexico.

Marisa Manuel from the US is another name that BBC quotes. When she first heard about asexuality in high school, she was misinformed that aces want to be alone whereas she liked being around people. 

“Manuel is trying to add to this growing pool of representation. Leading up to International Asexuality Day, she created AceChat, an Instagram account where she regularly shares stories by different people who identify as ace. It’s garnered positive reception, and she keeps hearing from people who want to tell their stories. There are now about 100 people involved,” the BBC article adds.

For Dr Singh, it was GoDaddy; for Charles, it was Facebook; and for Manuel, it was Instagram — the internet is a common factor in all these stories that helped these women have the conversation about sexual orientation with a small but widespread community. Technology has major breakthroughs every single day, but it is also a part of these small victories that probably impact lives every single day. 

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Three years of Section 377 and its impact on deep-rooted pockets of India

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Hailing from a small town, coming out of the closet felt like a distant dream, however, 2018 changed it all. For me and many like me, September 6, 2018, was a day for empowerment. As we celebrate the third year of the path-breaking verdict by the Supreme court, let me tell you a little more about Section 377.

What is section 377?

Back when the British government had autonomous control over India in 1861, the country witnessed significant reforms that have impacted the lives of its residents to the very date. One such example is Section 377; although it was abolished in 2018, the LGBTQ+ community had to survive several decades of public humiliation and discrimination.

Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code strictly prohibited homosexuality and same-sex relationships, with life imprisonment being the punishment. To put it more straightforwardly, sexually engaging with an individual of the same gender was punishable by law, leaving people of the community feeling unrecognised and neglected. This meant that people belonging to the LGBTQ community were forced into fighting their desire and sexual orientation with the fear of being labelled as “unnatural.”

September’18 – When the darkness saw a ray of sunshine, we rejoiced!

Also Read: SC’s Section 377 verdict: Experts discuss how Indian companies fare in parity for LGBTQ+

September 6, 2018, marked a major stepping stone in the history of India with Indians proudly waving pride flags high up in the sky and celebrating love, for Section 377 had finally been decriminalised. There were no boundaries for love anymore; people were given the freedom to love regardless of gender, age, and sexual orientation. With the sense of safety, security, and relief spreading across India like a wave, the queer community began to feel more accepted and confident in Indian society.

The abolishment verdict, also popularly known as the “victory of love,” was applauded by individuals across India, which led to the news being widely spread in deep-rooted pockets of the country and not just the developed and progressive cities.

As the word spread more extensively and same-sex relationships began to get normalised, members of the LGBTQ community began to feel accepted in the eyes of the law, right from people hailing from big cities to small towns. Several community members started considering September 6 as their second birthday because they felt reborn and were finally given the freedom to live life on their terms, as per their own will.

How do the many Indias within India feel about this?

While the abolition of Section 377 was the first step towards acceptance as the country’s apex court ceased to consider homosexuality a crime, we still have a bigger battle to fight—the battle of societal norms.

Also Read: With more LGBTQ athletes than ever, Tokyo Games put focus on Japan

While the free flow of information across languages has ensured a lot of knowledge sharing and people starting to accept the third gender, we still have a long way to go. The development of micro-communities in smaller cities has helped spread the message and make the community members feel at home but from a social standpoint, we need to reach a point where there’s absolutely no discrimination between the three genders.

What can all of us do to build an inclusive India?

From a law standpoint – The next step towards further acceptance would be to legalise same-sex marriage, and that is when Indians can stand tall and proudly say that all forms of love are accepted in the many Indias of India.

For the society – The third gender is a part of the highly respected Indian mythology, if they could accept us, you must too!

And for my fellow community members – There’s no bigger acceptance than self-acceptance, so feel free, be yourself and more importantly, just own yourself!

The author Palash Borah is CSR Manager at Blued INDIA. The views expressed are personal.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

With more LGBTQ athletes than ever, Tokyo Games put focus on Japan

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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More than 160 openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer athletes are due to participate in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, making this year’s Games the most inclusive ever.

That has put a focus on host nation Japan, which activists say is out of step with much of the rest of the world, having not seen the same sweeping social change that made same-sex marriage and greater inclusion a reality in many countries.

Fumino Sugiyama, a 39-year-old former fencer for the Japan national team and a transgender activist, said he was delighted to see the progress in diversity at the Games. Sports were very different when he was younger, he said, and discriminatory language was common.

Sugiyama began fencing at the age of 10, rising through the ranks and eventually competing internationally for the Japanese women’s team. He felt conflicted identifying as a woman in competitions and retired at 25.

“I loved the sport of fencing, I didn’t feel I could find a place for myself,” he said.

While Japan is known for its strong civil society and democracy, rights activists say it has a long way to go on addressing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) issues.

The Olympic charter bans discrimination and while Tokyo passed an anti-discrimination law three years ago, there are not the same legal protections for much of the rest of the country.

Rights activists hope to use the Games as an opportunity to raise awareness and public support for LGBTQ issues.

“I think lots of people in the world think that Japan is the human rights defender, but it’s opposite, because we don’t have any marriage equality, we don’t have any law to ban discrimination on sexual orientation or gender identity,” said Gon Matsunaka, founder of Japan’s first LGBTQ centre, Pride House.

Foreign teams are also bringing the message to Japan.

The captain of the German women’s hockey team, Nike Lorenz, will wear a captain’s armband in rainbow colours to show solidarity with LGBTQ communities at all of her matches, the German Olympic Sports Confederation said.

It said the International Olympic Committee had approved its request to allow Lorenz to don the armband, just like Germany’s Manuel Neuer, the captain of the national soccer team, did at Euro 2020 last month.

“We are happy that we have found a common path that makes it possible for the hockey team to make a socio-political statement,” Alfons Hoermann, the president of the confederation, said.

Sugiyama, who also organises the city’s annual pride march, became the first transgender person to be appointed to the Japanese Olympic Committee.

“Being excluded from the sports world is the same as being excluded from society, so I think it is important to take this opportunity to firmly lead to having positive discussions,” he said.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PhonePe pledges to enhance female representation in senior roles to 25%

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Digital payment firm PhonePe on Friday vowed to increase female representation in its two senior most leadership roles from 16 percent to 25 percent by December 2021. The roles include that of directors and vice presidents.

The indigenous digital payments platform has declared its diversity & inclusion (D&I) charter. The firm wants to create a more inclusive workforce. Under this, the Bengaluru-based company has taken on a numerical goal for gender at the senior level.

According to PhonePe, stronger representation at the top is visible without much difficulty and helps offer role models for the broader organisation.

Its first phase will emphasise on gender, sexual orientation and people with disability. This would help the firm mark specific actions in each of these areas to work for inclusion. Moreover, it would also work for the betterment of LGBTQ community.

Initially, PhonePe’s focus for the LGBTQ community will be on creating spaces for conversation and awareness. Apart from this, it will aspire to evaluate processes, policies and systems to be more inclusive. Under the charter, the firm is also assessing its present roles, policy agenda and infrastructure to empower people with disabilities to be a larger part of the organization.

PhonePe, last year, had envisioned to recruit 550 individuals across domains of sales, business development, engineering, and marketing on account of its business expansion plans. This was an addition to the 1,800-member workforce strength of the company.

Speaking on the matter, Sameer Nigam, co-founder and chief executive of PhonePe, stated that there was a strong correlation between diverse organizations and increased shareholder value. He further stated that being a diverse workforce, the firm would be able to fascinate a wider talent pool. He added that the firm would be able to promote deeper, more rounded thinking.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Tinder launches new safety feature for LGBTQ users

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Global online dating app Tinder on Thursday announced a new safety feature for members of the LGBTQ community aiming to protect them from the risk of using dating apps in nearly 70 countries where the LGBTQ status still remains criminalised.

Called the “Traveler Alert”, the in-app feature would appear in such hostile countries as soon as the app is opened to warn users about the potential dangers  face in the region.

As part of the update, users who identify as LGBTQ would no longer automatically appear on Tinder in these countries once the alert is activated. Users would also have the choice to either remain hidden while in that location or opt to make their profile public to connect with new people.

“The Tinder Traveler Alert combines these values, ensuring that our LGBTQ+ users are aware of the necessary precautions they need to take in countries that are hostile towards gender and sexual orientations outside the binary,” said Taru Kapoor, GM-India, Tinder and Match Group.

The feature is rolling out for both Android as well as iOS users.

To help establish where the alert should be deployed, Tinder collaborated with Switzerland-based International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) World, sourcing data from their latest homophobia report.

In addition to its Traveler Alert, Tinder has launched a number of updates and efforts in support of the LGBTQ community over the last year.

With the help of India’s oldest LGBTQ organisation – The Humsafar Trust – the app released 23 more genders, followed by the launch of a new sexual orientations feature to give users another way to express their sexuality.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow