Meeting and knowing Rohan made me realize that love doesn't always have to be heterosexual and a family doesn't always need to have a husband, wife and biological kids. A family of course can have parents of the same sex and children not born of the germs of the husband and wife.
Having met Rohan told me of 'alternative' families that the society always had but wasn't willing to talk of.
Sreelakshmi was the first transgender I had known in person at a Gender Equality meet I had attended in the city organized by a publisher. The only other times that I had known them were at a 'badhai' function of a male child or at the city red lights begging. Everytime I ever came across a transgender I used to think that they would be curseful if I don't give them what they ask for,always making sure to walk away or hand out the money they were soliciting. To having been a beggar and then a prostitute her story ate my heart out. It takes careless courage to talk of a past that was a malady of misery. She had even authored her biography which I couldn't buy then for a poetry collection had been in my mind since a long time. I happened to partake pleasentries with her during lunch and what startled me the most were her intelligent discourses on gender equality. She stressed on why the movement of gender equality should be a collective calling for both the LGBT community and women. You have to be a gender equality believer with substantial sensibility to be talking like that.
She also expressed her desire to adopt a child along with her partner of those times. I have only always been hopeful of many orphans getting a family and home when I meet people like Rohan and Sreelakshmi.
It is a tougher call for the transgenders for the confusing conundrum of emotions they find themselves in. Be it a body they didn't want to have or choice of sexuality, transgenders have a life that is synonymous to struggle often born of petty prejudices.
Sadly relationships in India are persuasively procreative. That might be one of the reasons why archaic laws like sec 377 saw the light of the day again. Much like the LGBT community, many heterosexual women are choosing to marry late or not marry at all because of this burden of multiplying that we have been bearing on our shoulders like Christ's cross.
Such archaic arguments are the fistcuffs we are trying to rid ourselves off. I am glad that not just gays and other members of the LGBT community but even heterosexuals are coming out in large numbers to show solidarity and be supportive of the right to make a choice. Would like to congratulate Tagore International School for supporting the cause.
To do your bit please join the Toi's campaign against sec 377.
1] Call 080 6700 6443.
2] The call will get disconnected.
3] You will get an sms :
Thanks for joining the Times Campaign: Repeal the Section 377 IPC provision that criminalises
homosexuality.
Or you may sign the online petition to repeal sec 377 here.
Having met Rohan told me of 'alternative' families that the society always had but wasn't willing to talk of.
Sreelakshmi was the first transgender I had known in person at a Gender Equality meet I had attended in the city organized by a publisher. The only other times that I had known them were at a 'badhai' function of a male child or at the city red lights begging. Everytime I ever came across a transgender I used to think that they would be curseful if I don't give them what they ask for,always making sure to walk away or hand out the money they were soliciting. To having been a beggar and then a prostitute her story ate my heart out. It takes careless courage to talk of a past that was a malady of misery. She had even authored her biography which I couldn't buy then for a poetry collection had been in my mind since a long time. I happened to partake pleasentries with her during lunch and what startled me the most were her intelligent discourses on gender equality. She stressed on why the movement of gender equality should be a collective calling for both the LGBT community and women. You have to be a gender equality believer with substantial sensibility to be talking like that.
She also expressed her desire to adopt a child along with her partner of those times. I have only always been hopeful of many orphans getting a family and home when I meet people like Rohan and Sreelakshmi.
It is a tougher call for the transgenders for the confusing conundrum of emotions they find themselves in. Be it a body they didn't want to have or choice of sexuality, transgenders have a life that is synonymous to struggle often born of petty prejudices.
Sadly relationships in India are persuasively procreative. That might be one of the reasons why archaic laws like sec 377 saw the light of the day again. Much like the LGBT community, many heterosexual women are choosing to marry late or not marry at all because of this burden of multiplying that we have been bearing on our shoulders like Christ's cross.
Such archaic arguments are the fistcuffs we are trying to rid ourselves off. I am glad that not just gays and other members of the LGBT community but even heterosexuals are coming out in large numbers to show solidarity and be supportive of the right to make a choice. Would like to congratulate Tagore International School for supporting the cause.
To do your bit please join the Toi's campaign against sec 377.
1] Call 080 6700 6443.
2] The call will get disconnected.
3] You will get an sms :
Thanks for joining the Times Campaign: Repeal the Section 377 IPC provision that criminalises
homosexuality.
Or you may sign the online petition to repeal sec 377 here.
2 comments:
Again a touching read. You are right, we paint them with the same dirty brush till we actually hear their stories and connect with them on a human level. I have signed the petition too.
Loved both your posts regarding your support towards homosexuality. Glad you actually met the people who have mentioned and shared positive thoughts about them here.
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