Recently, there has been a surge in the media attention being given to LGBT community, be it through advertisements (Myntra, E-bay) or through web-series such as ‘The other Love Story’, which shows their love in the purest form or through movies like Parched, Aligarh and Margarita with Straw which gained accolades Internationally for their incredible story telling or be it India’s first transgender music group, 6 Pack Band which made the country proud by bagging the prestigious Cannes Grand Prix Glass Lion award at the Cannes Lions Festival this year.
Say LGBT (Lesbian,Gay,Bisexual,Transgender), and what comes to your mind?
Some would say it’s aberrance to the laws of nature, some would support them (By changing the color of their Facebook DP), whereas some would just change the topic or laugh it off.
So, what category are you in?
Gradually, people are accepting the fact that it is not just some ‘condition’, but is as natural as us being straight. But, still do we, the section that accepts this, does not find amusement in it sometimes??
Like, when any of your friends behaves in a manner opposed to what they’re ‘supposed’ to, do you not make fun of him/her – “Gay hai kya?…..Ha Ha Ha ha…. “
Imagine someone would ask you- “Straight hai kya?…. Ha HaHa ha…. ”, won’t you wonder that person is a total nutcase?
There are many countries, predominantly in America and Europe which have embraced LGBT community and have made their marriages legal. But, in India – Acche din kab aenge? When the whole world is moving ahead, we are moving ahead too. But, why move backwards in this matter? Ancient India was open to everything, the proof of which is in various manuscripts. How can we laugh at transgender, when our own Gods were venerated as transsexuals (Lord Vishnu as Mohini and Lord Shiva as Ardhanarishwara)?
We all know about the reprehensible Article 377 of Indian Penal Code. Shouldn’t only those who harm anyone, be penalized? I wonder what harm they can do.
Those who favor Article 377, also favor all the ills it perpetuates. Viz.
- Forced hetero-marriages, which destroys the life of all it encompasses.
- Corrective Rape
Yes, you read that right. It means LGBT people get raped, often by their close ones, to teach them what is natural.
Imagine the horror they face as they can’t even report the crime as our laws doesn’t recognize them, thereby leading them to suicides.
(Thanks to ‘Satyavati’movie for raising this issue.)
Kudos to Kozhikode District Administrationfor setting up Grievance redressal committee for LGBT community after the queer pride march held in August.
Recently, in ‘The World Economic Forum India Summit’ on NDTV, Parmesh Shahani, Head of Godrej India Cultural Lab and first openly gay personin position of power at Godrej, said that about 64% of young populace of India wants to work at LGBT friendly places. Let’s hope that there will be more workplaces where there shall be no bias and the best people will take charge and make our nation proud.
Each one of us can be the driver of change if we treat them as one among us. So, help spread love in all forms.
“You don’t have to be gay to be a supporter,
You just have to be HUMAN”
-Daniel Radcliffe
