A Kerala based woman author has accused a well-known women’s college in Kochi of withdrawing permission to use a college venue to release her book which is a lesbian love story.

According to author Sree Parvathy, St Teresa’s College had initially agreed to give its auditorium for the book release to be held on May 14. But the college, the author alleges, took back the permission after a brochure regarding the theme of the book, a fiction, began to circulate. Sree Parvathy, a 33-year-old freelance journalist, has now been forced to change the venue of the event.

Sree Parvathy told The News Minute that she felt discouraged when informed about the college’s decision. “It is a college for young women and girls. I don’t understand why they have cited this reason for cancelling the permission for the venue given to us. There are so many female students in the college. There may be students who love each other deeply, and they need not necessarily be lesbians. Why do college authorities fear a story like this?” she said.

St Teresa' college’s head accountant Sister Magi however told TNM that permission had been denied as maintenance work was being done in the auditorium.

Sree Parvathy says the denial of permission was a result of social stigma. “We have to accept and welcome transgenders, lesbians and others as a part of mainstream society. I don’t understand why people are still trying to keep them away,” she said. Children’s Theatre, located opposite St Teresa’s College, is the new venue of the book release.

The fiction titled ‘Meenukal Chumbikkunnu’ (fishes are kissing) is a story on how two girls are forced to hide the love they have for each other. It deals with their fear of how the society will perceive their relationship, and finally how they overcome the fear. ‘Meenukal Chumbikkunnu’ is the second book written by Sree Parvathy. Her maiden published work was a collection of article on love titled ‘Prenaya Pathi’.

Mohan Das, Sree Parvathy’s friend, had arranged St Teresa’s auditorium as the venue. “They had earlier agreed to give the venue for the book release. But today morning we were told that it was not possible for them to provide the auditorium as they can’t accept the theme of the book. The nuns, who are handling the college administration told me that their superiors had denied permission. One of the nuns asked why we had not informed them about the story and that the Bishop was unhappy with them,” Mohan Das told TNM.

Mohan Das added “It’s a book written by a woman about two girls. All the guests for the book release event are women. We thought that it would be wonderful if we could release it in a women’s college.”