The blues of the Rainbow

The recent statements from the Additional Solicitor general (ASG) of our country denouncing the idea of decriminalizing Section 377 of the Indian Penal code (IPC) and the silence maintained by the Home Ministry yet again show the absence of a will to act. The ASG further went on saying that allowing gay sex would be totally against the moral code of the nature. The orthodox and fundamentalist sections of our society claim that such a move would destroy the social fabric of India.

In 2009, the landmark judgement of Delhi High court  decriminalized gay sex between two consenting adults throughout India and read down Section 377 of IPC  and asserted that it undermines Article 21 of our constitution which provides for a fundamental right to life and personal liberty. This ruling motivated the gay-activists throughout the country and they have been on a roll since. The annual pride parades where multitudes of people from LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) community show up has become a platform to show solidarity, to safeguard their rights and to abolish the discrimination.

Today, majority of the urban population believes that each person has to be given full freedom to make choices at all crossroads of his life, sexuality being one of it. But the numbers are not with this liberal community. The orthodox sections still possess the numbers and thus the right to decide the moral question of it being right or wrong. But what is it that they are actually scared of. Is it the fear of losing the upper hand over feminists ? Is it the fear of proliferation of male rapes? What is it?

The status of transgender is the worst as they are not even identified as a gender. There aren’t any provisions for their education, employment and social security. They were and still are social outcasts. Why should they pay for it, it wasn’t their personal choice to be born like this. We complain of being harassed by them in trains and on baby-showers & marriages but what choice have we given them. Time has come for us to shed these disgusting orthodox values and to give all sections of our society equal rights and equal opportunities. Let’s not use meaningless religious rhetoric to outcast these sections. Let’s accept them for what they are. And the rainbow then, will shine like never before.