Stigmas still strong, fight is on

Theme of this year’s International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (May 17) is ‘Breaking the Silence’ as it aims to shatter stigma around the queer community and reiterates need for greater acceptability.

LGBTQAI+ rights activist Harish Iyer believes that creating a safe space for students should be mandatory. “We have to move from retribution to reformation, especially in schools. We need to understand the language that these boys are using and why. Even the abuses hurled are all rape threats,” he says.

Being outed without consent is another major concern. Architecture student Rishi Raj Vyas, 18, who identifies as a queer cisgender man, was outed by a neighbour. “She told my mother I had ‘gay ka bimari’. My parents did have inkling, but it took them five years to accept. Acceptance is a gradual process,” he says.

Iyer affirms that before coming out to anyone, it’s important to come out to yourself. “To believe that you will have only good memories is unrealistic. There will be people who will not accept you. Just as you had your journey, they will have theirs in coming to terms with it,” he shares.

Social media plays a breeding ground for stigmatisation. “After a whole day of facing these abuses, and then opening your social media to see similar comments, you tend to develop the tendency to self-harm,” observes Vyas.

DU student Nitish Anand, 21, identifies as a gay man and feels the last thing they want is ostracisation. “The stigma is there and you feel anxious of where the next attack would come from. If you are being bullied, then return it with kindness, but if things get worse, seek help,” he says.

PHOTO: AMAL KS/HT It’s essential to break stigmas around the LGBT community early on