Fiji Well Ahead of Others in the Region on the Recognition of LGBTQI Rights: Local Advocate
Ratu Eroni has confirmed a preference to be referred to as a ‘she’ not a ‘he’.
Leading Advocate Ratu Eroni Dina says Fiji is well ahead of others in the region in terms of the acknowledgement of LGBTQI rights.
She was speaking after his appointment with two others to the regional body of the International Lesbian, Gay Association.
“We actually are the first in the Pacific and within the region to have our rights acknowledged in the decriminalizing of homosexuality in our Constitution,” she said.
“So that’s a huge step and that happened a few years back, with the new constitution that we have now.
“We had the free campaign launched by the United Nations, a few years back so we are the only country within the Pacific, that has that identified in our Constitution. “So, we only wish that we can do what we can from our experiences and try to effect change within the region as well with our member countries, Samoa, Tonga, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, PNG especially our Melanesian brothers and sisters.”
EXCERPTS FROM THE INTERVIEW: Not long ago, there used to be hostility against your group. What do you think is the attitude now. Has it changed or is it still the same? Ratu Eroni:
The hostility still exists.
But it has mellowed because we have those details itemized in our Constitution protecting our rights.
But the unfortunate reality is our people at the grassroots don’t know that they have protections already identified for them.
And of course, our people are homophobic and they take advantage of this.
The hostility still exists, whether it is verbal abuse or emotional abuse.
A lot of our community members tolerate this, they continue to take the bullet shots from all these hates but it does feel slightly a little bit safer now knowing that we are protected, through our laws and we can only hope for the best.
We are in a better place now than we were 10 years ago.
So, with that experience we can hope to move forward, knowing that it’ll get better.
Where is that negative attitude coming from? Ratu Eroni:
Before it used to be so easy to say that everything starts back at home, but mindsets are actually innate - to think that people choose to do so, or whether people are homophobic or transphobic it’s a choice that people undertake.
How they choose to react to other people, it’s how people choose to react but other than that, it is still the strongest power within any household is the mother and the father.
Sometimes just teaching children to be aware that these are the kind of people that exist around the world. And we need not be so, we need not push back against it because this is exactly how they are instead of teaching children that this is part of the myth.
A lot of our children grow up in society thinking that this is a lifestyle choice. When I say lifestyle choice, it means that it can be changed.
If it was so easy to change, nobody would ever choose this lifestyle and I have echoed this so many times on social media.
If this was a lifestyle choice nobody in their right mind would ever choose this life.
So if we can at least instill that in our children, that is not something that is interchangeable.
No!! it’s who people are and we should just allow children to grow up and be who they are.
Maybe we will have less cases of depression.
Even our suicide cases that will also increase.
This is part of the intersectional problems that arise from the misunderstandings. So the mother and the father the superpowers, two superpowers in the household to any person.
They can do so much effective change.
Do you report complaints of harassment to Police? Ratu Eroni:
Yes. Some who have been actually motivated to report are the strongest advocates that we have. That’s the reality of it.
The unfortunate other side of reality is the stigma that is attached to it. Members of our community still get shamed.
We’ve made so many attempts to work with the Police department, and it has been successful we’ve been so thankful to the people in the Police department for assisting us with getting their personnel, the officers, creating more awareness by allowing us to come in and conduct workshops, etc. So that’s been a huge help.
Other than that, they still fear.
I’d say three quarters of our community would rather just bear the burden of being inflicted with this sort of misogyny or discrimination because they still assume that there’s some sort of shame that is associated with going to the Police for it.
Because before, not too long ago, if members of our community will go to the Police department to report cases like this, it will always be discarded as untrue or it’s just inflamed information or a story that we are just concocting in our head. So we’ve never really had assistance before, that still exists today that understanding still exists today, but I can confirm that we’ve worked with the Police department through Haus of Khameleon and Rainbow Pride Foundation.
We’ve managed to get their assistance with getting the officers more aware, and they have been more helpful.
So far when we do have members in our community go to the Police we do get the support that we do need.
But then, that may take a while to get all of our community members to get the courage to actually do that every time they get discriminated against.
Have you seen any prosecutions? Ratu Eroni:
Prosecutions? Not that I am aware of but I do know that most of the cases perpetrated are handled and resolved through well before they even get escalated.
Are you saying they were settled out of court? Ratu Eroni:
Yes, settled out of court, you are correct.
Most of it happens through dialogue our community members are satisfied with an apology but we do encourage, like nothing so bad has happened that we just go to the court first.
Some of your posts from 2014. You say you detest discrimination. But your social media posts smacked of discrimination and racism. There was one recently, in 2019, where you discussed the issue about the term Vulagi, do you still hold the same views? Ratu Eroni:
Yes, I still hold strong views concerning that word Vulagi.
The reason being is I think it’s all about perspective as well and I’m speaking from my perspective about that word.
It’s just the unfortunate fact that our Fijian words, when translated directly into English will of course come off as offensive.
But there is more depth when it comes to the Fijian language and of course the different separate dialects.
There’s more depth to our language that English cannot translate.
So, for example, the word “Vulagi” when translated is of course foreigner, or visitor.
That’s in the context of the actual meaning when it’s used within a household.
But in the broader lens, it may not come off that way because we all have different families and have have different agendas and I feel the word has been ripped apart.
That’s the honest truth from my side. I just feel like the word has been ripped apart and has lost the essence of its actual meaning within the iTaukei households. And now it’s become a tool to segregate us.
It’s always good if we actually change our perspectives and eventually to go to the root of things.
There’s never any ill intention, and maybe when it’s used on different platforms, the purpose of the word does change.
I do accept that does exist, but in my perspective, I choose to look at things positively and I’d rather not inflame any hate on anyone just because a word is being misunderstood.
Some people accuse you of being a racist because of the views you’ve expressed. Do you support racism or not? Ratu Eroni:
I don’t support racism at all.
I said I like to choose to stay within the confines of indigeneity, but it doesn’t mean that I have to disrespect another race or another culture in order to gain any momentum on the topic I’m discussing.
I’m somebody who was raised in Nadi, next to the sugarcane fields with Indo-Fijian brothers and sisters.
I used to share houses with them even go to the households and have lunch.
I never, ever thought about discrimination.
To be honest, until I transitioned from Nadi to come into University here in Suva. I never felt that in the West.
There this friend of mine, Rashika Deo that I indulge in these discussions and talanoa a lot about racism.
It seems to be a CBD, super urban problem.
The power struggles from the grassroots to the top, it seems to be a Suva centered thing, because I never noticed this when I was in Nadi.
Born and raised in Nadi, I never realised this.
Everybody seemed to be family until I came here but it’s interesting.
Of course. Geographically, we’re separate. Suva has its own unique situation so I’m happy that I moved here that at least effects some change, but I will no way in any time, encourage or inflict harm on my brothers and sisters for the reason that we’ve all been born and raised here.