LGBTQ — They are society !!

The Supreme Court ( Five judge bench ), in a landmark judgement ( 495 page path breaking verdict ) on September 6, 2018, struck down 158-year-old colonial law — part of the Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) which criminalised gay sex, saying that it violated the constitutional right to equality and dignity. The judgement was widely welcomed by most sections of society, especially the youth who called it a victory of love.

Why it was done :-

1. I think everyone who is living in this world, either normal or abnormal has equal rights to live in this society with full respect..!! and LGBTQ is not an exception !
2. LGBTQ people are too taxpaying, law-abiding citizens, they have every right to the same privileges.
3. The LGBTQ community does not have any rights per say which society takes for granted like the right to marriage, inheritance so these are rights that should be there for everyone in society. Unfortunately, the LGBTQ community has been left out of it and that is something that needs to happen.
4. Being L,G,B or T is not a ‘problem’, nor is it a ‘choice’ as such. LGBTQ individuals are merely individuals who have sexual preferences that differ from what would appear to be the ‘norm’, due to differing learned behaviours and, you know, having a personal perspective and mindset that differs from everyone else’s. Saying that it’s objectively wrong for people to have sexual preferences that differ from the norm is objectively wrong itself.

Why there is a need to provide extra support to LGBTQ :- People revealed how they often had fears or negative expectations of wider society. And that this is in part why they invest in the idea of an LGBTQ community — as somewhere where they could feel safe and understood.

Issues with LGBTQ Community even after law accepting them :-

1. The LGBTQ movement in India is currently urban-centric and places so much emphasis on this section of people within the community that it becomes difficult for those from other parts of the country to be represented and seen. Their stories are simply not heard.Take for example Indian cinema: It is only in the last few years that we have seen films such as Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan, where the backdrop was not a city.
2. People from this community from Tier 2,3 cities, towns, villages — face bullying if they speak, as rumours and stories spread like wildfire, changing the way society sees them and also harming their own self-image. The reason behind this act is that society perception towards this community is not inclusive.
3. One often hears of cases of suicide and depression, which are direct consequences of the isolation and hostility these individuals have to face. Not enough resources for acquiring knowledge — whom to reach and what to do, when they come to know that they belong to LGBTQ.
4. Children who identify as LGBTQ are usually both older and sometimes treated as if their LGBTQ identity is a special need.
5. Despite recent advances in LGBTQ rights, LGBTQ older people are often marginalised and face discrimination. They are twice as likely to age without a spouse or partner, twice as likely to live alone and three to four times less likely to have children — greatly limiting their opportunities for support. There’s also a lack of transparency as 40 percent of LGBTQ older people in their 60s and 70s say their healthcare providers don’t know their sexual orientation.

What we should do for this community :-

1. To combat this, it is necessary for the community to come together, so that they can empower each other and create safe spaces, which are a necessity when faced with rejection or violence from their families.
2. Marriage equality may be a progressive step for the community, but there are other pressing issues, such as an anti-discrimination law and greater acceptance of queer individuals who live outside of cities.
3. Organising online community build-up programmes and seminars, where people from all backgrounds can come forward and seek some sort of mental peace, in an otherwise toxic/hostile home environment is the least queer people from cities can do to be more inclusive.
4. Creating dating & friendship apps for LGBTQ community so that they can come and find people from the community and share things freely.
5. The number of child adoptions should increase since gay couples cannot pro-create. Hence, it’s important to create quick and frictionless process for child adoptions.
6. Strict laws which should Prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
7. Safeguard freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly for all LGBT people.
8. Inclusion of awareness about same sex in school education, will ensure that our next generation understand the community with facts and not through old school thoughts.
9. Involvement & representation of LGBTQ community people in Government — politics, offices and in departments where strategic decisions are taken. This ensures that in every policy and decision, we have consideration and reservation for LGBTQ community.

From technology perspective, we can create platform for people to talk freely, safely and openly about what they feel, what they want and what others can do it for them. At ThoughtWorks, we care deeply about the intersecting identities of our fellow Thoughtworkers and want to ensure we hire people who will contribute positively to our culture of diversity and inclusivity. The goal is to keep ThoughtWorks a safe inclusive space, where everybody can bring their whole selves to work.