Some people just aren’t woke yet. And if you’re an older person and or conservative person used to “the way things were,” change can be hard, but it’s really quite simple. All you have to do is just let other people be themselves. They are who they are, as you are as you are. Labels and stereotypes are dangerous and inaccurate and can cause trouble, even when people mean well.
The Bombay Times wanted to do an article with locals who identified as LGBTQ. They recruited a bunch of people to talk about how the Indian Supreme Court announced it would review (and maybe repeal) Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, the law that makes consensual same-sex sex illegal in India. The paper also wanted those individuals to pose for a photoshoot. So while the project was well meaning and was supposed to be about gathering information and having human to human connections and maybe even break down some barriers, it didn’t go that way.
A student named Sukhnidh Kaur was invited to the interview/shoot, and she related her very unfortunate and disheartening experience on Twitter.
I don't normally use twitter, but I feel the need to address this issue.
Today, @bombaytimes called upon a bunch of LGBT individuals to shoot for an interview about sec 377 with them. All was going well, until they asked us to go home and come back tomorrow.
Here's why:
— Sukhnidh (@skhndh) January 24, 2018
They said that the queer people present were not dressed appropriately, i.e. they did not look gay enough for the shoot.
— Sukhnidh (@skhndh) January 24, 2018
@bombaytimes asked a cross-dressing individual to come back tomorrow in his 'costume'.
Asked a gay boy to come back wearing more flamboyant clothes because his blue shirt was too dull for a photo of a queer person.
Asked girls to come back looking more androgynous.
— Sukhnidh (@skhndh) January 24, 2018
They told members of the LGBT community to go home and come back dressed as their stereotypes, the ones they are ridiculed for time and time again.
For a shoot+interview that was going to address the issue of their rights and dignity in the country.
We walked out of the place.
— Sukhnidh (@skhndh) January 24, 2018
Shame on you @bombaytimes. Learn how to work with LGBT individuals without being downright offensive and exploitative.
If you cannot accept queer individuals as their authentic selves, don't bother portraying yourself as some fucked up version of progressive.
— Sukhnidh (@skhndh) January 24, 2018