STRUGGLES OF LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN INDIA

STRUGGLES OF LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IN INDIA

( By Sravani Gokaraju ) 

Image By:- Goutham Sagar

Just like how a person is categorized based on gender, he or she is also categorized based on his/her sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is the identity of a person in relation to the gender to which he/she is attracted to. Sexual orientation is something you are already born with. Some people find out their sexual orientation over time but it's not something that can change over a period of time.  

The so-called "normal" that society has created and believed up until many years ago is to be heterosexual. There was no other orientation, not because everyone was heterosexual, but because the society made it seem like there is no other orientation, making others who don't fit in it, feel like something is wrong with them. Heterosexuality is one of the sexual orientations a human associates with, where a person is attracted to the opposite sex. A man is attracted to a woman and a woman, to a man. But sexuality is not just one box that fits all. There are so many more orientations than heterosexuality. Homosexuality, bisexuality, queer, transgender, pansexual are a few of them.  

Over time, people who are not heterosexual started understanding why they are different and what makes them not fit into and feel a certain way. They also started realizing that they are not the only ones who are like this. This slowly led to them coming out in the open and finally embracing it. It started out with gays, and then slowly, the other orientations also started being more open.  

But since it was very new to others, and they couldn't understand what or why some people are acting differently, they did not accept them. They were looked down upon and were treated as untouchables. They were not treated as equals. So a community was formed. It was initially called the gay community, which was later changed to the LGB community. As more and more sexual orientations came into light, the name started growing. Today, it's called L.G.B.T.Q.I.A.+. It stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual. The term is an evolving abbreviation. This community was initially formed somewhere between the mid to late 1980s in the US. It was formed to celebrate pride, diversity and to bring awareness amongst people. To date, the social movements made by it are to advocate equal rights, marriage equality, liberalization, etc.  

With the formation of this community, over time, people felt safer and more comfortable to open up about their sexuality. Compared to how at a point, no one wanted to come out about their sexuality, now, there are so many people proudly becoming a part of the community. People's thoughts and their treatment towards LGBTQIA+ are also slowly changing around the world. They are treated as equals and there is no discrimination, in a lot of countries. That being said, it's still very frowned upon in a few countries and India, is one of them.  

Indian society still does not accept them. But slowly, more and more Indians are becoming more accepting. After continuous fighting for years, the Supreme Court of India has finally made LGBTQ community social status legally acceptable. It is a huge step and progress for Indians. But even though things have changed legally, nothing else has changed quite much. The kids and even adults who finally muster up the courage to come out of the closet are still treated as untouchables. They are beaten up, harassed and bullied, by not just their peers, but also by elders. They are taken to babas and other religious gurus to get them "treated". Indians either treat it like it's a disease that can get cured with treatment or as a phase that will soon pass. To say that a person from their family belongs to the LGBTQIA+ community is a shameful and embarrassing thing. All these scare some people so much that they even choose to stay quiet and marry and live a lie than be open about their sexual orientation. 

People who consider themselves to be a part of the LGBTQIA+ community undergo a lot of confusion to not only find out their sexual orientation but also undergo a lot of trauma and alienation once they do, from his/her not accepting family and friends. No one deserves to live with the constant fear, feeling left out or different, living with a huge secret for a long period of time in their life and the hatred and disgust they face after coming out, that they live with. Violence, unemployment, discrimination, poverty, and lack of healthcare are some of the many problems faced by the other Indians due to Homophobia. 

The only solution to this problem is to introduce some policies for the safety of the people from the LGBTQIA+ community and to change the mindset of other Indians by educating them more and more about the topic. People should understand that the sexuality of a person is not a phase, a disease, or even a choice for that matter. It is something that they are born with and nothing can be done to change it. People should also be taught that heterosexuality became normal, the only normal thing just because we made it so. Once adults understand that every sexual orientation is normal and that the person is otherwise still the same irrespective of their sexual orientation, they should teach their kids what they have learned. This will not only take away a lot of burden and confusion from the kids that are who are figuring out their sexual orientation but also make others be more compassionate and understanding towards them. No one should be scared to be open and honest about their sexual orientation. No one should be made to feel like something is wrong with them. No one should struggle to be treated and looked at normally, like any other. If India feels that being heterosexual is the only normal, then we definitely need a new normal.  

 

 

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The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Light de Literacy and LDL does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.