LGBT- THEY ARE PART OF US, HUMANS WITH FLESH AND BLOOD.
The opening words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Till January 2021 around 29 countries have legalised same-sex marriage. In 2011, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed the first resolution recognizing LGBT rights. Thereafter the office of the United Nations High Commissioner issued a report for the violation of Human Rights, which included hate crimes, criminalization of homosexual activity, and discrimination. Following this, the United Nations urged all countries to authorize laws for protecting the basic rights of LGBT. On 6 September 2018 Supreme Court of India passed the judgement that Section 377 was unconstitutional “ in so far as it criminalises consensual sexual conduct between adults of the same sex”. LGBT Pride Month occurs in the United States to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBT people have had in the world. Three presidents of the United States have officially declared June as a pride month.
Saying this would not be wrong that over these years LGBT people have gained more and more acceptance all over the Globe.
But are making laws enough? Have this community gained acceptance? Are they free to live now? Do they don’t face any discrimination now? These questions come with many different answers.
WHAT IS LGBTQ?
LGBT stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. The initials of LGBT is deliberate to highlight the diversity of sexuality and gender identity-based traditions. The term LGB here stands for sexual orientation. Sexual orientation means, the sexual, emotional or romantic attraction of men and women or women and men (heterosexual), women and women (lesbian), men and men (gay). The term bisexual stands for men or women who are attracted towards men as well as woman. The term Transgender is about sexual identity. Transgender are the group of people whose gender identity are different from the gender they were born during their birth (trans-men or trans-women). The definition of transgender includes the people who are termed as the Third gender. The “Q” is used for Queer which means the group of people whose sexual orientation is not only about being heterosexual. The queer includes the whole community of LGBT.
LGBT — They are part of us ! They are us . Why do they need to struggle for acceptance !
Even after passing these laws, there are vast numbers of people from the LGBT community still struggling for acceptance. There are still many people who have closeted themselves in fear of discrimination. They fear to unfold themselves to their own families, as many still believe homosexuality is shameful. A huge community still accept homosexuality as a disease.
The LGBT community still constantly struggle for their freedom to openly embrace their gender choices and sexuality within the boundaries of their schools and colleges. Discrimination, violence, teasing is still some continuous process they face. From several types of research and studies, it is seen that the LGBT community is acceptable to their families only if they behave as heterosexuals.
Although in urban areas around the world, social media and corporate initiatives have created lots of awareness about LGBT rights. But in some parts secrete honour killings are designed so that the gay man or the lesbian has the only option to hide and live a life that their psychology doesn’t permit. In many cases they run away to some city with no money, just to survive. There are many other parts, where lesbian are subjected to rapes, planned by their family members. They call it correctional rapes. They are forced to get married to any man. Many commit suicide, to escape this vulnerable situation. There are many people from the LGBT community who go through severe depression, doesn’t even express themselves in fear of isolation, discrimination and violence.
I believe that sexual, romantic, or emotional relations are a part of a person’s own choice. Sexuality is all about a person’s body and a person can do anything with his/her own body until and unless they aren’t harming themselves. If heterosexuality is normal. Men loving women and women loving men is acceptable, then why is homosexuality not acceptable!
There is no problem in L, G, B & T. The problem is within us. The problem is our thinking process. Everyone with the same flesh and blood in this whole world has the right to be respected. There is no need to make new laws for them, at the point when we change our source of thinking. We just need to change our ways to see the world.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights states in its Article 2 “Everyone is entitled to all the liberties and independence outlined in this Declaration, without difference of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or another stature. Likewise, no distinction shall be established on the political, jurisdictional or international significance of the country or province to which an individual belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other restriction of sovereignty.”
Everyone has the right to love the person or the gender they want. We all deserve to be happy. I want to say “be happy and let them be happy" also “live and let them live". The world belongs to them as much as it belongs to us. They are part of us. LGBTQ community are no different they are just some of us.
