Imagine this, you are a person who loves pizza. Every time you tell someone you like pizza they look at you in disgust and say “ that’s gross how can you like pizza when everybody agrees that pasta is the best.” Obviously, you find it ridiculous since you didn’t ask them to eat the pizza. You are completely fine with you eating pizza while they eat pasta. You put forward your point but they’re like “NO. Everyone must like pasta.” This confuses you because it’s your stomach, your body and your appetite. It has nothing to do with them. They still refuse to accept your love for pizza because they claim that everybody loves pasta. completely disregarding the fact that there are people who like pizza, there are people who like pasta, there are people who like both pasta and pizza, there are people who like pizzas, pasta, and lasagna and there are even people who hate pizzas and pasta because they like salads. This is homophobia in a nutshell. For centuries, heterosexual people have refused to acknowledge the existence of queer people. They claim it to be unnatural, non-scientific and against their culture. Not only are these statements untrue and offensive, but they are also inexplicably unnecessary considering it’s none of their business. Scientifically, the spectrum of human sexuality is incredibly diverse and vast. This spectrum cannot be put into boxes termed ‘gay’, ‘straight’ and less frequently, ‘bisexual’. While science speaks in these simplistic terms, human beings are not wired to form such well-defined blocks in their gender traits, gender identity or attraction to others. “Homosexuality is not a disease, it’s part of natural human variation. I think we’ve reached the point that we have enough evidence that there’s a biological basis for sexual orientation,” Margaret McCarthy, a neuroscientist at the University of Maryland told The Scientist. Homosexuality is a natural, biological feature which is also common among other animals, for example, in one species of sheep, individual animals have been known to have preferences for same-sex partners. The partner of a 186-year-old male tortoise, who is The world's oldest animal, was a male and not female.
Culturally, various Sanskrit texts from medieval and ancient India, prove the existence and wide acceptance of homosexuals and the “third gender”. The chapter "Purushayita" in the Kama Sutra, a 2nd century ancient Indian Hindu text, mentions "swarinis"(lesbians). These women married other women and raised children together. They were widely accepted within common society and the ‘third gender’ community. The book further made mention of "klibas"(gay men), represented mostly men who were impotent with women due to their "homosexual tendencies". The sculptures in the Khajuraho temple, built in the 12th century, are popularly known for their homosexual imagery. I’m sorry but with a culture like this, how can you refuse to recognise homosexuality. A person questioning their sexuality goes through a myriad of emotions and doubts. Phrases like “ maybe I’m just a very good ally” are an integral part of this process. They try to discredit it by comparing it to past experiences and are generally bewildered throughout this journey. This is usually due to internalised homophobia. Most of us have been brought up in an environment where it’s completely normal to have feelings for someone of the opposite gender but not for people from the same gender. While acceptance from straight people is one of the bases of this confusion and fear, there is also a lot of toxicity within the community, regarding Bisexuals and Transgenders. It’s difficult to understand how one oppressed community can oppress another but it does happen. Bisexuals are often attacked with comments like “ why can’t you choose one?” Or “ you can’t like everyone”. They are often called “ straight” when they are with people from the opposite gender which completely disregards their identity. Trans people are often ambushed by comments like, “ you did not earn your body.”, “trans women are not real women” and “but you don’t look like a trans person” but the bottom line is that, if your feminism and allyship do not include trans people then we do not want it! While queer people want an accurate representation of their community in the entertainment media, there also exists another side to it which is the opposite of what they asked for. Queer baiting is a marketing technique where creators hint at, but do not actually depict, LGBTQ representation. It’s unfair and cowardly to insinuate queer-ness but not fully embrace it
out of fear that one might lose some audiences that are homophobic. Recently, Harry Styles was accused of queer baiting while he degender fashion by wearing a Victorian-era dress for his vogue magazine cover photo. He was the first non-female to appear solo on the cover of American vogue let alone being outfitted by Harris Reed, who is a gender-fluid designer. While we are all for a world where everyone, regardless of their gender, can wear whatever they want, we must be cautious about the politics of representation. Alok Vaid-Menon, an author, performer and speaker, stated “ Do I think this is a sign of progress of society’s evolution away from binary gender? Yes. Do I think that white men should be upheld as the face of gender-neutral fashion? No.” he further continued “We can both acknowledge this unprecedented moment while also remembering that it could only happen because of the resistance of trans femmes of colour. We who for decades were imprisoned by cross-dressing legislation.” “Make no mistake: trans femmes of colour started this and continue to face the backlash from it. Our aesthetics make it to the mainstream, but not our bodies. We are still dismissed as “too much” and “too queer” because we aren’t palatable enough to whiteness and heteronormativity. Is that Harry’s fault? No. It’s the fault of systems of trans transmisogyny and racism.” said Alok Menon on his Instagram post on November 14th. On September 6th 2018, the infamous article 377 of the Indian penal code, officially decriminalised homosexuality, liberating many. While it was a historical judgement on the victory of love, it is only the bare minimum. It was a necessary step and a long overdue. Working towards equality and equity is a long-drawn-out process which requires several more of such systemic changes. Nelson Mandela once said, “A man who takes away another man’s freedom is a prisoner of hatred; he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrowmindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else’s freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity” The central government has loudly rejected the legalization of same-sex marriage in India but that's not going to stop is from fighting for basic rights. And on that note, I am signing off today hoping that the next time I eat 15 golgappas at a wedding, it’s at a lesbian one :)
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