This pride month let us take a moment to make a promise to give everyone out there equal respect they deserve. All are one and pride for all should be our motto. Give away the stereotypical biases and make a promise to take an initiative for the rights of the LGBTQI+. It has been seen that the community faces major challenges in terms of getting access to rights and the major one being the right to social protection.
A major stigma is attached when it comes to acceptance. Why can’t someone’s choices be accepted? How can the biological societal norms be bigger than the happiness of a person? The freedom to live a life in which one can take complete charge of is the ultimate thing we want. Then why does a specific community need to suffer for their rights, to live like every other person? Why can’t they be considered normal?
They have been facing immense discrimination in getting even the basic needs. When it comes to education they have to face personal attacks ultimately affecting their mental health. In terms of health, they again face difficulty in getting proper treatment. Just because someone doesn’t fit the masculine or feminine definition set by the society, he/she is not considered a normal human. Not just this they are deprived of the opportunities in terms of employment any other person could have got with the same intellect. Workplace discrimination and bias have always been there. Can we be a bit sensitive with our fellow humans and make a peaceful atmosphere all around ? We have fallen to the lowest of the lows in terms of demeaning and degrading someone. Respecting is a far fledged dream when we don’t even respect the choices. The way a person dresses up, the way of speaking, walking, etc. – Can’t we respect it? Using slang to refer to someone without even thinking how badly it can affect someone’s mental health. A fixed mentality is prevalent that gay men are the sensitive lot and have a preference to go in a profession like designing. How can a profession be attached to someone’s sexuality? Any guy who prefers to be clean shaved or loves to wear bright colors even if he has straight preferences is considered in the “gay men” category according to the societal norms. Similarly, a girl hating makeup-wearing shirts and keeping short hair is automatically classified without even understanding.
I Won’t say things aren’t changing. People are openly coming out and spreading awareness on the issue. We have seen web series, movies, and advertisements for the same. There has been a major jump since the removal of section 377. Now same-sex relationships are no more a crime in India. But still their marriages and not accepted. In our country where we see same-sex relationships all through history and mythology, it is still considered a sin violating the rules of mankind. Others just refer to it as a mental illness that needs to be treated by therapy. It’s good to see the addition of transgender, gender not defined or would rather not say columns in certain forms. However, this paperwork should also show the results in practice which are yet to be seen. Even after the open discussions about section 377 and awareness drives all over media; the biggest challenge faced is to open up in front of parents. Even if they try to they make the child feel better, they still refer it as either his/her mistake or the result of their sins. How will society react, what will people think around – is a bigger issue than what their child wants. Cant this is made simpler, can’t we just find a solution out there? A lot has been done and a lot is yet to be, to spread awareness and remove the social taboo. Things should be openly spoken without the fear of being judged.
Now, what is the significance of pride month? In India, there have been pride parades across the nation for over a decade and a large number of people from the community have been participating in pride parades and raising their voices for equal rights. An educative movement that features a solemn gathering to the carnival.
This pride month is equally important for brands. Brands showcase the rainbow-themed merchandise and the logos of various companies also change to the rainbow theme. This month is considered the month of diversity and inclusion celebration. All this leads to innovation and outperformance. They not only spread awareness but also show solidarity. For the past few years, we have come across various branding campaigns – Be it McDonald’s in us making rainbow fry boxes or tinder India providing a plethora of gender identity options. Nike has been coming up with rainbow snickers, t-shirts, and socks. Apple released pride edition bands for its watches to celebrate and support the diverse movement. Brands like Oreo, U.S bank, Uber, Lush Cosmetics & Mercedes Benz too created campaigns around the same. The brands utilize every single event for their boost. However, lots of social issues are not fade-away moments, they are crucial fundamentals of the society we want to build for ourselves. Pride month is an example of it. It’s not just another event that should just be utilized for brand promotion.
Being purposeful is not a few seconds 100 m race, it’s a marathon.
Get going, be vocal !
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