We are a country that celebrates diversity in culture, creed, religions so vibrantly that the whole world talks about our ‘Unity in Diversity’ concept, but the ugliest side of our society is not accepting all the genders equally. Even though legally every gender is treated in a respectful manner, when in comes to the LGBTQIA+ community, there is still a taboo in our society. The community still struggles to live with peace and harmony.
The Preamble to the Constitution of India recognizes its residents by referring them as “We the people of India” without any prejudice. It ensures social, economic and political justice to all. However, it was only after a long struggle, including various movements in different parts of our nation that ‘Transgenders’ were officially recognized as the “Third Gender” in India.
In 1977, Shakuntala Devi released her book, “The World of Homosexuals” which advocated complete acceptance for the community rather than tolerance. Individuals who identify themselves from the LGBTQIA+ community are subjected to numerous types of oppression including sexism, poverty and exclusion from almost all social setups along with homophobia and transphobia. They are often marginalized and denied access from essential resources such as medical care, educational opportunities and legal services.
Not only this but many children who identify themselves from the LGBTQIA+ community fear their parent’s unacceptance which prevent them to covey their true emotions. Due to this, they are not able to have the support of their families and are restricted by the constricted societal norms.
The voices of people belonging to the community, from the metropolitan cities are still heard through various social media platforms but in rural areas, individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community are forced to repress their identity due to the rigid set of social and cultural norms. Sometimes, they are forced to leave their homes, making them homeless. They are deprived from their basic right to education and essential social support during the constructive time of their lives.
People belonging to the community are often given derogatory labels and are made fun of, which prevents them from achieving their objective of gaining acknowledgment and become part of the majority rather than being socially excluded. In social setups such as educational institutions, they are referred as the Socio- Economically Disadvantaged Groups. And, if we talk about the employment opportunities, there are several occupations which have gender limits which makes it difficult for a trans-person or any individual belonging to the queer community to attain a standard of living. As, they are often looked upon as a ‘Lower Class’ by the society, they are forced to take up undesirable jobs.
Therefore, there is a dire need for us to make collective efforts for breaking the gender binary that has been created by the society with rigid set of social and cultural norms. It is important for us to move from favored treatment towards equal treatment to foster inclusion and recognizing the importance of identity and self-expression. This will convert the society into a safe space where every individual could thrive with same opportunities and is acknowledged. Moreover, it is necessary for us to create safe spaces for individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community to thrive, feel acknowledged and at ease while discussing their emotions.