"There is nothing wrong with you. There's a lot of wrong with the world you live in. People may detest you for being different and not living by society's standards, but deep down, they may wish they dared to do the same." Chris Colfer.
The first step towards change is awareness! The tragedy of life is the death of genuine feeling, the dearth of inspired response!
The awareness that only makes it possible to feel the pain and emotional turmoil of others around us.
“The next time someone asks you why LGBTQ+ Pride marches exist or why Gay Pride Month is June, tell them ‘A bisexual woman named Brenda Howard thought it should be." –Brenda Howard (Mother Of Pride)
There is many more to come this month, Lot of Fun, Lot of Masti.
Have a look at what all is stored
Hello, my dear contemplative and reflective IFians. How is quarantine going for you all? Have you done anything creative during this time?
Every moment is a fresh beginning.
We must understand why a fresh start is necessary to look at the bigger picture.
Let's start with a small story that you all might be aware of.
In a same-sex marriage case in the recent past, Justice Anand of the High Court of Madras stated that he was trying to break his preconceptions. For that, he said “I want to give myself some more time to churn. Finally, in this case, I realized that words must come from my heart, not from my head. The same will not be possible if I am not completely awakened in this regard.”
To prepare himself to judge this case, he decided to enroll in a psycho-educational session with a counsellor who has expertise in handling LGBTQ+ issues, so that he will pave the way for his evolution, before delivering his judgment!
More than progressive, he is an honest judge who accepted his ineptitude to accept same-sex marriages. which is a sensitive issue where people may react differently because of the stigma associated with this topic.
True love stories never have endings. Friends, the IF Fan Fiction Team (Fan Fiction Editors, Fan Fiction Graphicers and Beta Readers), is here with a mission for a purpose. We are going to celebrate the whole month of June as the month of love because everyone deserves a chance to love and be loved.
June is the P r i d e Month Of Love
As it is Pride Month, we would like to take this opportunity to spread awareness about the LGBTQ+ community.
June is pride month but do you have any idea why? There is a long history behind the evolution of Pride Month. People belonging to the LGBTQ+ community celebrate this entire month to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, USA. It is considered to be one of the tipping points of the LGBTQ+ movement in America.
What does L G B T Q + mean?
It stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer. The + includes all other spectrums of sexuality and gender like aromantic, asexual, pansexual, panromantic etc.
LGBTQ+ F a c t s and A w a r e n e s s
The LGBTQ+ community is now a well-debated and well-written issue. Until recently, such topics were not taken fairly or generously in India.
Homosexuality was never illegal or a criminal offence in ancient India, but it was criminalized by the British Raj during their rule in India.
More than 53% of the LGBTQ+ population are women. 5.1% of women identify as LGBTQ+, compared with 3.9% of men worldwide.
The sexual, romantic and emotional appeal of the LGBTQ+ community differs from the norms set by society.
More than the child, parents have a duty to accept the preferred identity of their progeny, regardless of what it is.
Being different is neither a crime nor a sin. Religion should not be used to create differences in order to foster mutual love.
Marriage is a human right, not a heterosexual privilege. It is centred on love and is a sacred union of souls. Nobody should be able to dictate how one is supposed to fall in love or with whom.
Apart from humans, homosexuality is present in more than 450 species of living beings throughout the world. It's hard to understand why people feel that having a different child means the failure of the mother/ parent.
Sometimes oppression based on sexual orientation can turn into physical violence, which has occurred in many parts of the world in the past. No matter which part of the world one is from, it has been proven that trying to repress one's sexual orientation can lead to physical violence.
In surveys of lesbian, gay and bisexual people, 52-87% have been verbally harassed, 21-27% have been pelted with objects, 13-38% have been chased or followed and 9-24% have been physically assaulted worldwide.
Homosexuality is not a type of mental illness, cannot be "cured" by psychotherapy. These so-called "treatments" repress one's sexual identity and leave behind a massive amount of emotional and psychological trauma on that person for a long time.
There is no definable “lifestyle” for them to follow, just like there is no standard for a heterosexual lifestyle.
Although LGBTQ+ is the most commonly used term in the community, there are many more terms used to describe LGBTQ+ people such as “Queer Community” or “Rainbow Community”. The initials and terms are evolving continuously, but the most important thing is to be respectful and use the terms that people identify themselves with.
We should be an ally for them, understanding them and making them comfortable in the society in which they live.
Legal aspects of LGBTQ+ i s s u e s in India
Love can't be restrained. Who would give a law to lovers? Love is unto itself a higher law.
Love is love. Everybody’s journey is individual.
After a long fight to safeguard LGBTQ+ peoples' rights, Shashi Tharoor introduced a bill for the repeal of Section 377, but it was rejected in the House of Parliament by a vote of 71-24 in 2015.
On 2 February 2016, the Supreme Court decided to review the criminalization of homosexual activity. At length, the jury discussed the issue but shelved it again.
In 2017, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the right to individual privacy is an intrinsic and fundamental right under the Indian Constitution. The Court also ruled that a person's sexual orientation is a private matter, which gave hope to many LGBTQ+ activists.
On September 6th, 2018, the Supreme Court announced in a historic judgment that 'gay sex is not a crime.'
H i g h l i g h t s
The decision was delivered by a five-judge bench headed by India's outgoing Chief Justice Dipak Misra and was unanimous.
While reading out the judgment, he said: "Criminalizing carnal intercourse is irrational, arbitrary and manifestly unconstitutional."
Another judge, Indu Malhotra, said she believed, "history owes an apology" to LGBTQ+ people for ostracizing them.
Justice DY Chandrachud said, "The state had no right to control the private lives of LGBTQ+ community members and that the denial of the right to sexual orientation was the same as denying the right to privacy."
The ruling effectively permitted consenting homosexual adults to have sexual relations with one another, without fearing legal consequences.
UN welcomes verdict, scenes of joy everywhere.
Immediately, Manavendra Singh Gohil, an Indian Prince, said, "I am happy, we got true Independence today. Gay rights can't be won in the courtrooms only—they have to be won in the hearts and minds of the people too.”
He is the first gay Prince in the world who declared his sexual preferences openly. He runs a charity in Gujarat called the Lakshya Trust, which works for the betterment of the LGBTQ+ community.
Sexual orientation is a type of biological phenomena that is natural and inherent to an individual and is controlled by neurological and biological factors. Any discrimination based on one's sexual orientation would entail a violation of the fundamental right of freedom of expression.
Relationships should be built around respect, understanding, acceptance, and adaptation; never on gender or sexuality.
The biggest communication issue is that we don't listen to understand. Most of the time we listen to respond! That's the paradox of perceptions on relationships in life.
Despite the increasing acceptance and approval, despite the support from eminent Attorneys and Advocates who are fighting for their rights, the world is still a very difficult place for LGBTQ+ people to live in. They are discriminated against and mistreated at school, at home, and later at workplaces. Perhaps because of this treatment, one-third of all suicide attempts are believed to be LGBTQ+ related.
Our m e s s a g e to our LGBTQ+ friends and Allies
An ‘ally' is someone who supports LGBTQ+ people, including personal commitment to fighting oppression and prejudice, supporting community interests, and acting to create interpersonal, societal and institutional change for the benefit of the community.
Instead of confusing yourself, pause for a while and take a moment to understand the problem. If there are gaps in our knowledge, we should educate ourselves to address them. Today, there is a plethora of resources from books, podcasts, documentaries, articles, and online information to understand the issue well. Even if it comes as a shock at first, do not lash out at the person in an abusive manner. Please remember, at the end of the day, all they need love.
To our friends in the community, be strong, and keep your chin up. Don't let anyone put you down. This life is worth living with respect. Stay strong and long enough to see betterment. The world is changing. Please participate in that change whether you are a member of that group or an ally. March forward with a smile on your face.
My dear IF members, we would like to know your views/opinions on this subject. Requesting you all to make sure that your posts and comments are in accordance with forum rules. We respect your freedom of speech and expression, however, we need to ensure that everyone respects others' views and can post maturely.
Extending our best wishes to all the members.
Disclaimer: We created this thread in the hope of spreading awareness. We have no intention of speaking on LGBTQ+ voices. If you are an LGBTQ+ member and would like us to fix something in this thread, please feel free to contact the team personally on PM.
Pride Month Concept: Koeli
Write Ups by : Viswasruti and Lizziebennett
Quiz by: Lizziebennett
Video Mix : Mannmohanaa
Tags and Color-coding: Leenaaa
Siggies: Grey-licious
Proof-read by: asmaanixx
Special Thanks: BilliCat
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