On September 6th, 2018, the section 377 of the Indian Penal code was scrapped out. While a lot of things have changed for the better, some of them haven’t. One of them being inclusivity.
Most of us aren’t familiar with the queer community and the entire spectrum of genders and sexualities that are a part of them community. So, let’s learn a few things about the community:
Full Form and Definitions of LGBTQIA+ Everybody Should Know
1. L – Lesbian
A lesbian is a women who is sexually or emotionally attracted to other women.
2. G – Gay
Gay is referred to those men who are sexually or emotionally attracted to other men.
3. B – Bisexual
Bisexual is referred to any men or women who are sexually or emotionally attracted to both men and women.
4. T – Transgender
Transgender refers to a men or women who identify with a gender that is opposite to the one assigned to them at birth.
With time, the shorthand LGBT grew and presently is mentioned as LGBTQIA+ in order to include more diverse sexualities.
5. Q – Questioning
This refers to someone who is still exploring their gender or sexuality.
6. I – Intersex
Intersex refers to those people whose reproductive or sexual anatomy differs from what is traditionally referred defined as male or female.
They might presenting with XX chromosomes or XY chromosomes, ambiguous genitalia or not, and may also know at birth that they are intersex or find out later.
7. A - Asexual
A person is referred to as asexual when he/she isn’t sexually attracted to people, i.e., they are asexual. Such people can be in a romantic relationship and experience attraction but it may not be realized through sex.
8. A – Aromatic
Aromatic or aro, is referred to those who experience little or no romantic attention. The individual may or may not still experience sexual attraction to individuals of the same or different genders.
9. A – Ally
An ally refers to those who may identify as cisgender and straight but they still support and advocate for members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
10. ‘+'
In addition, the '+' at the end of LGBTQIA+ denotes all the other identities that falls into the queer umbrella, that are not included in the commonly – used acronyms.
Existence of LGBTQIA+ People
The People belonging to LGBTQIA+ community exist everywhere, in all countries, among all ethnic groups, in all communities and at all socioeconomic level.
Any claim regarding the fact that same-sex attraction is a Western practice is wrong. However, many of the criminal laws that are used to punish The LGBTQIA+ community people are Western in origin.
The LGBTQIA+ people have always been a part of our community, from every locality and time-period, from pre Historic rock paintings in South Africa and Egypt to ancient Indian medical texts and early Ottoman literature.
Many societies are open towards people belonging to LGBTQIA+ community, including many Asian societies that have traditionally recognised a third gender.
Kinds of Human Rights Violations That LGBTQIA+ People Are Exposed To
The people belonging to the LGBTQIA+ Community, including all ages and in all regions of the world suffer from violations of their human rights. They are being kidnapped, raped, murdered and physically attacked.
In few countries, the people have been arrested and jailed for engaging in a private, consensual, same – sex relationship. Some states have failed to adequately protect the LGBTQIA+ people from discriminatory treatment in workplace, housing or even healthcare.
The LGBTQIA+ children and adolescents end up facing bullying in schools and also, maybe thrown out of their homes by their parents, or forced into psychiatric institutions or forced to marry.
With respect to transgender people, they are often denied identity papers that reflect their preferred gender, without which they cannot travel, work or even open a bank account or access services.
The intersex children maybe subjected to surgical or other interventions without their or often their parents' informed consent, and as adults, are also vulnerable to violence and discrimination.
Is It Possible to Change a Person's Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation?
No, it is not possible to change a person's sexual orientation and gender identity. Instead, we must change the negative attitudes to society towards to LGBTQIA+ community that disapprove them and contribute to violence and discrimination against them.
Any attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation often involves human rights violation and can cause severe trauma. Examples include, forced psychiatric therapies in order to “cure” the individuals of same-sex attraction with the aim of “turning them straight”.
Is There Any Reason to Criminalize Homosexuality?
No. There is no reason to Criminalize Homosexuality as criminalizing the private sexual relationships between consenting adults, whether the relationships are same-sex or different-sex, is a violation of the right to privacy.
Laws criminalizing consensual same-sex relationships are also discriminatory. As of 2017, at least 76 countries had laws that Criminalize private, consensual same – sex relationship, and in at least 5 countries, conviction may carry death penalty.
In addition to violating the basic Rights, criminalizing also serves to legitimize the hostile attitudes towards LGBTQIA+ people, feeding violence and discrimination.
It also hampers efforts to halt the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases by postponing the people belonging to LGBTQIA+ Community from coming forward in order to test and treat the diseases for fear of revealing criminal activity.
Written by – Sandhya R
Edited by – Adrija Saha
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