BENGALURU:
What is LGBT?
An abbreviation used for people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or other gender and sexual minorities.
Who are gender and sexual
minorities?
There are millions of people in India who are gender or sexual minorities. Anyone who does not fit into traditional definitions of ‘man’ or ‘woman’ is considered a gender minority and anyone who does not identify exclusively as ‘heterosexual’ is considered a sexuality minority. Examples include: kothi, hijra, jogappa, bisexual, gay, lesbian, asexual, agender, androgynous, genderqueer, intersex and many more. Some of these identities are several centuries old.
What is LGBT Pride?
LGBT Pride is the occasion when LGBT people ‘celebrate’ their identities in public.
What happens at the Pride?
In Bangalore, a series of events beginning in October 2016 are being hosted. Ranging from panel discussions and book readings to carnivals. What is the Pride March?
The Pride March is the most important part of the Pride event. It is a long procession/march of LGBT people and their supporters to make their issues and support visible.
Why isn’t there a Straight Pride?
As a group, heterosexuals do not experience persecution based on their gender or sexuality. Straight people don’t have the stress of having to hide their identities and lead double lives.
We may still discriminate against heterosexual lovers of different castes or different religions, but they experience discrimination because of caste or religion, not because they are heterosexual!
When you are surrounded by a society that thinks only heterosexual desire is normal, then having a day where you celebrate being LGBT is very important.
Why are there so many Rainbows?
The LGBT community recognised the need to develop a symbol that would tell LGBT people everywhere to be proud of themselves and that they were not alone in their journey to self-acceptance.
Many symbols were used in the beginning of the movement, but the Pride Flag with 6 rainbow colours (violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red) eventually became ubiquitous and most linked with the Pride March and with the LGBT community.
Isn’t there a law against all of this?
There is no law against peaceful marches or hosting any event. More importantly, there is no law against being LGBT in India. Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code criminalises all sexual acts except peno-vaginal penetration and applies to all citizens, although it is particularly used to persecute the LGBT community.
(The writer is Executive Director of Swabhava (estd. 1999) an NGO working with LGBT issues in Bengaluru, and is also Counsellor on the Sahaya helpline (estd. 2000) for LGBT people. Write to him on vinu228@yahoo.com. )