"They're decriminalising homosexuality!", I told mom a few days ago.
"What, it's illegal?" she asked.
Well, not anymore. The Delhi high court has finally legalised private consensual gay sex between adults. The gay community is rejoicing. And of course. Society is still slowly assimilating homosexuality, but at least gay people don't have to worry about breaking the law anymore.
It all boils down to this I suppose, our deep rooted distrust, suspicion, fear, of people who are in some way different. Why should gay people be treated any differently? In fact, you can almost say that their hearts are more open than others...We (at least I) don't discriminate between religion and race when it comes to love. They don't even discriminate against gender. And thus I say that Gay people, bi people, have large hearts. It's all about love. The sex, that comes with the love.
And, well, if it's just lust, you can't help who you're attracted to. You don't choose who you're attracted to, do you?
Religious groups all over India fail to see this (they're all about the sex, you see?)
Taken from the Hindustan TImes articles about the desicion, the following quotes. You can almost SEE the disapproving faces, hear the condemning tones. These people just DON'T see the love, do they? Can LOVE ever be unnatural? And when it comes to the sex, some things that people are into are very kinky indeed (bondage. Sado-masochism.) and THAT'S not illegal. (Ok I think I lost my point here.)
Swami Ramdev says that homosexuals need to be hospitalised.
Kamal Farooqui of the Muslim Personal law board says that no Muslim in the world, let alone India, can ever support it.
The president of the SGPC has said that homosexuality is disgraceful and takes you away from the path of God. Um, how exactly?
Look, people. Has GOD ever said anything against homosexuality? I'm sure MY God hasn't. He believes in being yourself. And gay, it's not something to become. It's not a CHOICE. Religion, mind you, is a product of man. And therefore, like ALL products of man, it is flawed in this case.
It all boils down to our refusal to accept anything that's different. Anything.
THEN there are the arguments that say that this is against our culture. But what use is a culture that is static? Society and culture are constantly fluctuating to accept new ideas and discard the putdated ones. Buhleeve you me, if 'culture' was static, girls wouldn't be allowed study. In THIS day and age. YEAH.
Chief Justice Ajit Prakash Shah of the Delhi high court ruled over the judgement. THAT is the kind of legal body we need. These are the people we need to run our country. We can absolutely NOT stick with old biases.
I'm gonna end with a question that I hope someone will answer. Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore held the Queer pride Parade, both last year and this year.
Why not Bombay?
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PS. : I know I'm probably too young to be writing about such issues. But this is one I feel very strongly about. There is nothing unnatural about being homosexual, bisexual, transgender, straight whatever. I feel that everyone should be allowed to express themselves freely, that they shouldn't have to be ashamed of who they are. Whatever it is that they are.
15 comments:
I completely echo your opinion. For once people should not be invidious of other's preferences. The only sin anyone can possibly do is by causing harm to the other's in anyway whatsoever. As far as that does not happen, I believe opinions of all must be respected.
well i am younger than you, but i totally totally completely agree with whatever you said. :)
I guess I am older than you all.....yet, I too support this judgement.......I came here from MM's blog......
No such thing as too young when it comes to eliminating prejudice. Very good. :)
It all boils down to our refusal to accept anything that's different.
That's true for so many things. Like - If you're not like most of us, you're a bad influence. Makes me so angry
btw, how about doing away with the word verification? its annoying cause i got it wrong twice now
Yes...gays deserve life of dignity
Mystique,
It is time we accept it as it is. Only stipulation I will put is that as it is today for hetrosexual couples there should not be any offensive open PDA. What two consenting adults do in privacy is there decision. You are mature enough to say what you feel is right.
Take care
I agree almost a hundred percent, and no you aren't too young to address it.
I'm not sure 'bout the Parade but Mumbai DID have the biggest gay party a year or so back.
And I mean HUGE.
I think people world over just need to stop forcing their opinions and their interpretation of what God would want on others.
And this includes The French Pres. forcing people NOT to wear the Purdah, which is as bad as forcing people to wear it in the first place.
no such thing as too young, and mumbai had one last year it will prolly happen soon
Good post.
I couldn't have said it any better.
You can never be too young to write about the right thing.
I totally agree with you.
Good post by the way.
PS:I love your blog.I like the way you write (:
2 Misanthrope: Yesindeed.
2 harini: good.
2 Reveda: Hi, THanks!!
2 qi: point made
2 quiksilver: Lemme think about it....
2 Pesto: Indeed they do. they're normal people.
2 Jack: very true, i suppose.
2 Shru: yes, that whole purdah issue was insane.
2 rushi: huh
2 Antigone: THanks.
2 anan: thank you, and thank you.
At least the system is better in India than where I am. Very nice hand too.
Mystique,
Like everyone else said, age is not the bar to draw any conclusions, but yes, lack of knowledge could be.
According to the section 377, the one that was repealed, even 'other kinky things' between legally married individuals were illegal if they did not lead to production of a baby! That's what was meant by 'against the order of the nature'-part.
I've observed that in society, God is largely invoked to further their ulterior and ignoble causes by prominent religious leaders because as far as I'm concerned, God doesn't exist, and it's pretty easy to put menacing words into a nonexistent God's nonexistent mouth.
Nice post, BTW.
TC.
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