My first understanding of homosexuals was through the Bollywood movie Dostana in 2008 (disappointing, I know). I had fun watching it as a 13 y/o and assumed it was fiction until one day, my sister was watching Ellen DeGeneres’s show and she told me Ellen was a lesbian. I was surprised that homosexuals were real but my social awareness still stayed very limited till high school. I am not proud of the fact that there was a phase when I used the word “gay” inappropriately because I didn’t know any better.
With time, age and exposure, I have understood self-love, self-acceptance, love, and heartbreak. I have learned that love is magnificent and it knows no gender, race, religion or color. You are who you are and you love who you love. Just remember to respect your own and the other person’s emotional and physical boundaries because no amount of love can ever justify abuse.
As the capitalist world celebrates PRIDE month by changing its logos, I decided to make rainbow-colored pancakes to express my support to the LGBTQ+ community. I am the kind of person who jumps into opportunities to celebrate any occasion and love is always a great excuse, be it PRIDE month or not.
I identify as a CIS gender, heterosexual person and I come from a privileged background. While brainstorming about this post, I realized the least I could do was be resourceful. I did some research into organizations in Canada, India, and Bangladesh that work for the betterment of LGBTQ+ communities. You can visit their websites or social media pages to make monetary contributions:
- TransEnd (Bangladesh) https://www.transendbd.org/?fbclid=IwAR25F-kRiXepiFETijJLDohYcLfw-M-pYfJdzK4XlsWkFGSRjKXtY4EPDvo
- The Pink List (India) https://www.pinklistindia.com/
- LGBT youthline (Canada) https://www.youthline.ca/
Kindly consider donating and if you can’t, there are other ways you can help:
Discuss and normalize the concept of non-heterosexual relationships in your family. Things will not change overnight but create a space for elders and younger ones at home to learn more because you might be their only source of knowledge. Be vocal about supporting the community because you never know - you could be the hand that a friend or a loved one holds when they want to come out of the closet.
Break gender stereotypes whenever you get the chance. Call out friends or family for their homophobic/ transphobic remarks. Be aware and be open to learning about gender fluidity. And always look for an opportunity to help- be it emotionally or otherwise.
There is another list that I have created of some TV shows/ movies that portrayed LGBTQ+ characters with a lot of sensitivity and care.
English:
Its a Sin
Sex Education
Perks of Being a Wallflower
Hindi:
Made in Heaven
Kapoor & Sons
Ajeeb Dastans - Geeli Puchhi
Bangla:
Samantaral
Nagarkirtan
Memories in March
Happy PRIDE month to everyone who identifies to be a part of the LGBTQ+ community. Your existence brings a lot of joy to this dull world that is obsessed with procreation. I sincerely hope we, the Cishets, can do more to make this planet a better place for you ❤️