Proud to be Criminal

I’ve been contemplating to write about this for a while now but as usual have been delaying it. However sometimes time passes too quickly and one realizes that some things should be done sooner than later. So here I am to talk about the ‘H’-word issue because I need to do this and it’s my basic right and duty to fight for my identity and in doing so if I can make the slightest change to society, then that’s even better!

 

‘Carnal intercourse against the order of nature’, better known as section 377 these days, was criminalized in India during the British colonial rule. The LGBT community heaved a sigh of relief when the high court struck it off as it was found violating human rights. However the victory was extremely short lived because four years later, in December 2013, the Honorable Supreme Court ruled out the High Court’s sentence and thus re-criminalized sexual relationship between consenting adults of the same gender. What’s ironic is that the LGBT community is being accepted worldwide. Even Britain have amended their laws and have given the community equal rights. Since 2007, same sex relationship have been legal in Nepal, thus making it the most open South Asian country to recognize the LGBT Rights and to give them higher standards. Yet our motherland refuses to accept us for who we are. She would rather disown us for being the bad child than being the good parent. The way India’s laws are fashioned, I would say that she is committing filicide and also encouraging honor killing of her LGBT children.

People come up with ridiculous arguments in a desperate attempt to discourage or prevent same-sex relationships (like these).  Personally I have never liked the concept of ‘coming out’ since straight people do not have to go through the unnecessary ritual of formally telling their parents that they are heterosexual! (That reminds me, check out this hilarious ‘coming out straight’ video!) In fact in most families of Kolkata, if a girl so much as even tells her parents that she is dating a boy, she is sure to be greeted with a slap followed by a wide range of emotional blackmail! Coming back to my point, I’ve never believed in the concept of ‘coming out’. I’ve always been frank about my choices whenever topics like that have come up and since in Indian household we NEVER talk about sex, my parents don’t have any inkling. Dealing with my friends, on the other hand, has been fruitful. Initially they thought it was a joke, some discouraged me, some thought I was confused etc. But eventually, I’ve been able to eradicate their homophobia and even though it’s not much, it is something to start with.

  

The sad part about all this is that any form of sexuality or relationship that ‘goes against the nature’ is openly and widely ridiculed by the Indian society. Even movies, at times, treat this as joke. Perfectly straight people act ‘homo’ as an attempt at humor. Life would be so much easier if everybody was straight or if everybody could stick to the genders assigned to them. But no matter what, it’s important that we hold our unique identities without bowing to the social pressures.