It’s not the first time that you “came out” as an Islamophobe, homophobe and an ultraright winger. So let it be said, we’re not surprised. You must have observed it from the interactions on your tweet that people are rather enjoying it and sharing with you enticing GIFs and videos of same-sex couples kissing and making out. We know you must be busy enjoying those. However, it’s never a bad idea to catch up on things that were missed out during your training as a “scholar.”
Subramanian Swamy’s homophobic tweet is making rounds. No one knows how he thought to share a piece of filth from the past. Its posted two years ago, when Section 377 was read down. No one seems to learn from their mistakes, certainly not Mr Swamy. But before that, first things first, Swamy: Are you a geneticist? No. So why you’re blabbering. You’ve a reputation of shunning journalists when they counter-questioned you on things related to economics and law, and you’re always seen, heard reprimanding them: “You know nothing about law.” Many a times Karan Thapar had to take a heat from you on this. But you’re as inconsequential and an attention seeker in the discussion around sexuality as Thapar’s bowtie which he boasts on his primetime debates. And to give you taste of your own medicine: You know nothing about genetics, then it’s better that you do some homework. There’s plenty of time as even your party doesn’t seem to leverage your knowledge and expertise, everyone keeps on ignoring you and it seems homophobic and Islamophobic comments keep you in the headlines. (Harvard dropped out taught courses by you because they found your op-ed in Daily News and Analysis [DNA] “reprehensible.”) However, some institutions take action, some don’t. And India has a reputation of inaction. It seems that you’re immune from corrective actions till 2024. So we believe you’ve time to learn a few things.
Were you taught evidencing at Harvard?
According to you homosexuality “is a genetic flaw like having six fingers in your hand.” Talking about genetic flaws. First, sexuality isn’t as easy a phenomenon as your limited — actually nil — scholarship claims to be. It’s complex. You could’ve upped your game being social media polemicist on homosexuality if you’d have heard about or read Andrea S. Camperio-Ciani.
Andrea is a professor of psychobiology at the University of Padua. Andrea bashes out geneticist, and pseudo ones like you, by saying, “In my view, the search for which gene is involved in the functional genomics of sexual orientation is not science, but scientific voyeurism.” We know you’re looking for “some fun,” like many RSS, rightwing onlookers on Grindr. Sadly unlike you they demand and are interested in tool size on Grindr not the genetic portfolio. What do you prefer Swamy? Or should I ask in the code word: Pref?
Leaving your voyeurism and ingenuine “interest” in commenting on homosexuality — for you show no sign of an earnest learner, not knowing a thing about gender, sexuality and the politics of desire and sharing opinion requires some superpower. You wanted to make a statement but didn’t anyone at Harvard or your Nobel-prize winning thesis adviser taught you about evidences? No worries. There’s a reason there are plenty of courses for dummies: here’s one by the department of Communication of the University of Pittsburgh: Argument: Claims, Reasons, Evidence. Next time when you think of making a blanket statement, try searching a bit, Googling helps, for a novice like you.
Don’t discriminate just limit their propagation of homosexuality
It’s not lost on us that you’ve said this, too: “to discriminate someone for being homosexual is wrong — there should be no social or economic restrictions on them. If you flaunt or propagate it — there should be some laws to deal with it.”
Okay, let’s dissect this. There should be no “social and economic restrictions” on us. First, it’s an assumption that we’re invited into the social and economic world. Mr Swamy that systematic violence and deeply heterosexist society has never encouraged openly out people and trans people to make the career the wanted for themselves. Do you even care? Our trans friends don’t have any sort of social and economic protection and you say that we shouldn’t be “restricted.”
What social aspect are you talking about when you talk about restriction? Every portal is inaccessible to us. Why do you think many of us remain in the closet? Because many prefer to enjoy the free membership of the “social club” by just being or acting “straight.” Our coming out is our invitation to being outcasted. You’ve no idea how it feels like to be restricted in your own family for being gay. So leave it at that. You’ve no knowledge of this and this tokenism: “Oh don’t discriminate with them,” we’re fine, better off, help yourself instead.
In the second part of your statement you said there must be “some laws” if queers try to “propagate it [homosexuality].” This, according to you, is not discriminatory, right? Who in their right senses will say something like that? What were you high on, “weed energy?” Systematic oppression starts with this mindset that you have, it’s better to change this, which takes time, don’t be hard on yourself. It’s this mindset that propagates hatred, hatred that divides, hatred that’s opportunistic and hatred that gives us an identity. It gives you an identity. It gives me an identity. It gives our society an identity. And any identity developed on that hatred is a mark of a regressive society, a society that’s not yet ready for a civilized discourse. It’d be better that you make good use of your scholarship than post tweets full of filth, and help “propagate” a civilized discourse not a partisan one.
