And its been another fabulous week in Queer la-la land filled with hopes and dreams and these strange colorful expectations for love, peace and equality. As always, the media does not disappoint when it reports on society’s bemused take on homosexuality – providing a cracked mirror – on ourselves and the world.
This week we have *drumroll* – Bollywood’s non committal stance on the issue of Homosexuality , Bollywood’s committed stance to releasing a terrible movie in the name of ‘sensitive portrayal of homosexuality’, Trans-gendered (Did you know the dictionary corrects transgender to ‘transponder’ ?, Anyway I digress…) individuals in Haryana making all lawyers go broke with pro-bono work and last but not the least, all the way across many ponds – “Most” U.S Troops and Family say gays in the military are Fabulous! …..err… maybe they didn’t say fabulous. They said “O.K.” Same thing. Its like how ‘sweet’ is the new ‘awesome’!…. ‘pink’ is the new ‘black’! ….’rehab’ is the new ‘pink’! ( I saw that on a t-shirt. Anyway I digress again….)
Out of the Closet and Onto the Screen – Thats right. Your sexuality is the only thing stopping you becoming the next big thing. Jokes apart, this article brings up some key points on Bollywood’s sluggish shift towards braver and more frequent portrayal of homosexuality. The crux ? It is happening a wee bit – but not so much – and truth be told, Having Bollywood in the Queer corner is akin to having a million Gandhi’s.
Close on this article’s heels comes news that the release of Dunno Y…. has been delayed because the charming chaps of the Bhartiya Yuva Morcha protested ( Are these guys new ? never heard of them ? must be an offshoot of an offshoot of an offshoot of the SS. wow.) Apparently, Homosexuality is against Indian culture. Ok folks! After Halloween – we all go back to being straight o.k ? Party time over. I kid – but you get the drift – There are people in this world who dare define Indian culture.
Next up, Transgendered individuals are being clubbed with senior citizens in Haryana and can thus, avail of free legal aid in the state. But this article is plain hilarious … Read the following :
They would not have to pay advocate fees, court fees, expenses of witnesses, preparation of the paper book, supply of certified copies of judgments, orders and other documents.
Bhangoo said that for getting such aid at the high court level, an application would have to be filed before the HALSA member secretary.
For getting it in the district, an application would have to be filed before the chief judicial magistrate-cum-secretary, District Legal Services Authority.
For sub-divisional level, the application would have to be filed before the additional senior-most civil judge-cum-chairman of the legal aid authority.
Are you thinking what I am thinking ? How is this going to be free again knowing how Indian bureaucracy works? But nevertheless at least in theory, this is a great advance in Haryana given that other states like Tamil Nadu have been making early headway towards providing aid and rights towards Transgendered individuals.
And last, A survey which has not been officially released..so its hush hush! done amongst U.S Military troops and family apparently provides findings that they don’t really care if Gays serve in the military so the DADT policy must be done away with. Hurrah! Because they shouldn’t care and neither should they have a say.
Live and let live ?
