Is Being Homosexual Crime? LGBTQ+ Stands for....

Is Being Homosexual Crime? This is the question that has been in the minds of people whose sexuality belonged to the LGBTQ+ community. As we can observe on social media that this is the month of Pride, the month in which we should imbibe in ourselves the habit of respecting people beyond their sexual preference and treat them equally and for the rest of our lives. This months acts as a reminder for all those who discriminate someone based on one's sexual preference. These colorful bands represent a spectrum of sexuality, which gives us the right to accept our sexuality according to our preference.

Pride month resembles years of struggle for civil rights and pursuit of equal justice under the law, for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. This month also commemorates the accomplishments of LGBTQ+ individuals. Now, the primary question that juggles upon in everyone's mind is, "Why is Pride Month celebrated only in June" Read on to find answers to many questions regarding LGBTQ+ and understand the new perspective.

Is Being Homosexual Crime?

The beautiful initiative of the world’s first permitted parade supporting gay rights’ was staged in Los Angeles and a 'Gay-in' held the next day, in the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, received a huge response. Thereafter, the last Sunday of June, became the day to celebrate Gay Pride in the United States (though there are many exceptions) as somber marches evolved into joyous celebrations. In time, the day expanded to become a month-long event and later this joy expanded from a moment to a whole long event.

What Changes do the people of this Community seek?

Many of us might have listened to the story of "The Ugly Duckling" in our childhood where no one in the group liked the Duckling as he was different from them. And you know that the story ended perfectly when the Duckling realized he was not even a duckling rather he was a goose. A beautiful, charming, and good looking goose. Here he earlier failed to identify himself which caused him pain. This is what happens with people belonging to the LGBTQ+ community. They have to fight with themselves to accept the reality and then with their parents and then finally with society. Let’s not make it more complicated for them.

What we as a part of society can do to understand the minor difference between a Duck and a Goose? The answer is, do nothing but see them as who they are and respect them accordingly. In our society either people are for it or against it, but right now, the need of the hour is, to stand along for those people who come among the LGBTQ+ community and maybe do not promote it but for sure support it. We need to understand that sexuality is something that nature has given to every living being, for the perpetuation of the race or the species. We human beings have more capability to understand and expand it. And because of that we kind of laminate the reproductive part and use just the pleasure part of it.

Relationship is successful only when kids are born?

Only when a couple gives birth to a child, it will be called a successful relationship? No! absolutely not. Love is not always proven only when some reproduction takes place. A successful relationship has nothing to do with the reproductive process or one's sexual preference, as it is their personal preference and every individual has the right to love and right to decide whom they want to love. A successful relationship is when two people understand each other and love each other unconditionally because love doesn’t come with any condition.

Why do people see this as a taboo or something unacceptable / harmful to the society?

Maybe because this concept is completely new to them and they haven't seen anybody accepting it or even talking about their sexualities with others but it will gradually change with time too. There is no harm in belonging to the LGBTQ+ community until or unless it is harming anyone in any sense. Even the Supreme Court of India does understand and agrees to this and had stated that what a person does in their private space is nobody's business. This is exactly what we all should understand and think. Being a Lesbian, Gay, Transgender or Queer does not bring any harm to the society. There are much bigger problems like terrorism, Racism, drugs, anti-social elements etc., etc. So, tackle such things which are harmful to the society. Let us talk about it openly. Nothing shame in it. Let the LGBTQ fly out of our mouth freely.

What does the religion say about LGBTQ? Does it ban?

If we search for homosexuality in religions, let us take the most ancient religion, Hinduism. There are diverse content available and few considered it as a sin but there is a whole concept of Kamasutra (ancient Indian text based on sexuality and eroticism) which tells, the concept of homosexuality is a natural phenomenon. Even in Hindu literature, there are stories of some Hindu elites who are shown to be falling in a different LGBTQ+ spectrum. There are also specific festivals in which worshipping deities, some of which are famous for their cross-dressing devotees, promoting the transgender’s rights and equality in society. 

These festivals include the Aravan festival of koovagam, yellamma festival which is celebrated in Karnataka, Baruchara Mata festivals popularly celebrated in Gujarat, among others. And the best example most of them can relate to is, Lord Shiva, who is also known by the name 'Ardhanarishvara' which means half women. (You can see the sculpture of Ardhanarishvara form of Lord Shiva in the right / below. This picture is from the Government Museum, Jhalawar, Rajasthan, India) So, the primary deity is spreading a message to the world that having their own sexuality is totally okay. There is no religious resistance in the spectrum of sexuality as there's nothing religious about this. We need not discriminate against them. We don't have to persecute them, and we don't have to put them into prison but at the same time, we need to handle it with some care as it comes under those "fragile" matter which if breaks then will do harm to everyone.

What is the right path we need to walk on, towards a welcoming future?

The prevention we need to take is not to promote it, as there is a huge difference between supporting and promoting. we don't need to label it under something which sounds cool to others as it will directly affect our teenage youth on social media handles. As sexuality is something which one should feel and understand first and this starts from inside if a child who is perhaps not sure about his stream to be chosen in class 11th starts labeling himself as LGBTQ+ then this is also something we need to worry about on a serious note. As goose can fly high in the sky, but if duckling will try for it they will surely harm themselves in some manner. We need to accept that sexuality is not binary anymore it has become a spectrum, a never-ending spectrum. Happy pride month to all.

Author - Komal Singh

Fact File: 

Britannica

Wikipedia