Monday, February 15, 2010

Laugh a little louder, Sing a little Prouder

We’re not criminals any more (at least for now). What’s next is the big question that daunts a growing community. Danish reminisces the few joyous moments as India’s homosexuals became officially legal, and ponders about the future of the community.

Danish Sheikh

Don’t you know

They’re talkin’ about a revolution

It sounds like a whisper

Don’t know about that, Tracy.

The 2nd of July, 2009; there wasn’t much whispering on.

How do you react to a day that you’ve dreamt of, that in fact almost by default, became your cause, for all of your adult life? (Even if that adult life has only been merely over two years.)

We declare that Section 377 IPC, insofar it criminalises consensual sexual acts of adults in private, is violative of Articles 21, 14 and 15 of the Constitution.

Looking back at that day, it’s hard to point the best moment. Possibly, the moment I called a lawyer friend and found out. Maybe it was when I got the rapid burst of excited, happy, supportive messages from friends outside college. It could be the bit where the entire class welcomed the news with resounding cheering. Or when the IPR professor congratulated all “affected parties”. There’s a chance that it was when I finally read the judgment, marvelling, laughing in delight at some of the passages, quiet vindication at some of the others. Stories and images of crying, laughing activists-lawyers-supporters-beneficiaries — oh that was another moment!

I sit now, a few days passed, the euphoric rush of the news replaced by the dull throbbing of the gum where my wisdom tooth once lay. The debates on TV are all versions of each other: you know you’re going to see that archdiocese fellow just as well as the lawyer-activist, and they’ll repeat and reiterate their points. Mostly, you’ll laugh, or display indignation at Mr. Archdiocese’s attempt at nuanced comments, much as you’ll cheer on Mr. Lawyer, simultaneously groaning when you feel he could’ve made that last point more firmly. (Summarizing Mr. Archdiocese Sir “Homosexuality cool. Homosexual acts not cool”. Mr. Archdiocese Sir? Abstinence very not cool. I didn’t fight my way to equal sexual orientation status to coyly smile at my partner as he waves a gilded fan over me. And it’s not exactly like you practice what you preach now, is it?)

You might wonder what the big deal is about anyway. You might even scoff and change channels, calling this all a needless waste of television space.

And then, if you’re me, you’ll pause for a moment while typing. Look around the library, humming with activity and then, feel the rushing resolve, as the realization that had dawned a few days back now firmly trickles in — this was just the beginning.

As Buffy and gang would sing

“The battle’s done and we kind of won, so we sound our victory cheer.

Tell me, where do we go from here?”

From here … Maybe there will be an appeal. Maybe not.

There will certainly be more protests, more debates. Protests more violent — as more step out of the closet, as homosexuality ceases to be an invisibilized non-issue. Debate more furious — as the issues, the stakes are raised — as we go on to question the very notion of the Indian family itself.

And all of that boils down to this moment. So I say, thank you, to the first generation of the movement in India for giving it to us.

Onto the next phase now.

Bring it on!

(Written two days after the Naaz Foundation Judgment was delivered by the Delhi High Court.)

Danish Sheikh is basically a boring person, who is fascinating during discussions over cups of coffee and pitchers of alcohol.




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