I’d written this one some time ago, but in light of the current debate over Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, I guess its the right time to post it.
The first time I was told what ‘Gay’ meant, I was 12. What I did not understand was the hushed tone, the eye rolling, the shrug....I still don’t. So really, what is the big deal? You love someone, how does it matter who it is? Hey, if you do, then you do. So few are lucky to find true love, and love comes in many forms.
I was discussing the topic with someone once, who said ‘homosexuality is a perversion’. Pray, tell how? They justified it with this – “If homosexuality was ‘natural’, then why would there be two sexes-male and female, and not just one?” In that case I can ask, why all these varieties of flowers, so many animals and plants? Why don’t we just have roses and donkeys? Why bother with lotuses, marigolds, jasmine, tigers, lions, rabbits?
And WHAT is with the term natural?! Who are we to decide what is natural and what isn’t? Devdutt Pattanaik hits the nail on the head in The Pregnant King (That’s right, KING) –
"Careful of the word unnatural, it reeks of arrogance. You are assuming you know the boundaries of nature. You don't. There is more to life than your eyes can see. More than you can ever imagine. Nature comes from the mind of God. It is infinite. The finite human mind can never fathom it in totality."
Another thing I heard in a movie – ‘Nothing is unnatural really, whatever happens, in the end is happening within nature, and hence, natural and more importantly, possible.”
As we progress, our minds seem to regress. Religious scriptures are quoted by conservatives to justify their stand. But what everyone seems to firmly turn their eyes away from is the fact that every religious scripture is open to interpretation. Nothing is written in stone. Let’s be realistic. God did not beam down any of the books to earth – it was man who claimed to hear God and translated His teachings for the rest of us less enlightened mortals.
Over time, many such men decided they were entitled to interpret these scriptures, and the fools that we were, we allowed them to. Today, they decide what is right and wrong, sin and blasphemy. Which actions will take us to heaven or hell. Key here is the term decide. They don’t know for sure - no one does. Do heaven and hell even exist? Really, do you think we are going to float around sitting on clouds with harps, or stew in cauldrons, with little demons poking us with pitchforks?
Chew on this - None of us have seen God, spoken to Him. Perhaps in those who raise us, who teach us, in the kindness of strangers and, if we look hard enough, in ourselves, we may find Him.
My conclusion – I like to think there is someone out there who has got my back. I am going to assume this is someone who is understanding - if He really created us, he knows we are all goofy (FYI, I’m firmly with Darwin on evolution). More importantly, if there is a judgement day (which would reinforce the concept of heaven and hell, which I really, really don’t believe in) He really isn’t going to ask us who we loved. I think it will be our other actions on earth – kindness, honesty, courage - that are going to count.
P.S: For those concerned Indian citizens who have been greatly traumatized about the legalization of homosexuality and who claim that it will ‘corrupt’ the great Indian culture – wake up and smell the garbage : dowry, child marriage, cruelty towards women and senior citizens, child labour, illiteracy, eve teasing (ugh!), demolition of religious buildings by politicians, corruption, defacing of monuments, lack of general civic sense - spitting on streets, littering – Really? What are your priorities? Do you truly love your country? Deal with these then.
5 comments:
i guess the real problem is that most people (including me) associates 'gay' with the hijdas and cross dressers who embarasses common man to loot them. i guess most of the gay marriages (atleast the ones highlighted by media) feature a cross-dressing partner. now, they may be cross dressing to make it look 'natural' or because they are 'naturally' inclined to do so ... but this makes it a li'l 'un-natural'!
to be frank i rarely see two normal looking guys or girls saying that they prefer people in their own gender. once this become more common than the hijdas and the cross-dressers, i guess people will be more ok with homosexuality.
Hmmm, you know, I agree most people are uncomfortable around cross dresses, but I must say, I understand why they do it.... They feel that they have been born into a wrong body, and hence try whatever is in their power to rectify it. So transgenders and Hijras - I get. In fact, many of them are completely harmless - majority Hijras beg, just like so many others in our city.
And you use the word normal - I see what you mean; but I feel society has shaped our thinking so rigidly at times that we find it difficult to accept someone who may not conform to those behavioral patterns or mannerisms that we have been told are associated with their sex.
So a guy with feminine mannerisms or a woman with masculine mannerisms are termed strange, and laughed at, which I feel is completely unfair. We are all who we are, and why should any of us change because others feel uncomfortable around us?
And you know, no matter how 'normal' two people in a same sex relationship are, our society will still have a problem with it. You should see some of the messages they sms to news channels - its shocking how ignorant they are - they often accuse homosexuals of spreading AIDS (can you beat it?!),
call them appalling names and on the whole, display a rigidness that seems difficult to change..
proud of ya gurl....muaahhz
Thanks M :)
woaaaah dats one fiery post. i dnt know u felt so passionately abt this issue. ur thots dead on portray how i wld like to express my opinion. only i wldn't have been able to do it so well. esp liked the whole unravelling of the word 'natural' very well done!!!
Post a Comment