REINCARNATION

JUNE 2021

REINCARNATION Defining the new normal

What’s inside About CORAGE and SIMSA

Experiences and Editorial Team Insights

Our LGBTQIA+ Campaigns

Celebrity Crossword

Articles, Artwork and more from our members

Meet the team behind our pride month campaign

Art by Rushali

CONTENTS ABOUT US

About SIMSA...........................................................1 About Corage.........................................................2

INSIGHTS

Council chair..........................................................3 Vice chair................................................................4 Editors notes..........................................................5

OUR LGBTQIA+ CAMPAIGNS

Transcend..............................................................7 Debate....................................................................8 Pride month campaigns.......................................9 Idahobit video.......................................................11

CROSSWORD

Pride celebrity crossword...................................12 Answers.................................................................13

ARTICLES AND ARTWORK

Mental health challenges of the lgbtqia+ community in India............................. 14 Surgery in intersex children-between pink and blues.................................................... 16 Artwork- Shreya.................................................. 20 A crisis of identity............................................... 21 Menstruation and lgbtqia+............................... 22 Pride and evolution........................................... 28 Anonymous confessions.................................. 30 Bigotry and transphobia................................... 31 Violence and bullying of the lgbtqia community-let’s put an end to this................. 33 How will?............................................................ 35 Artwork- Shruthi................................................ 36 Violence and bullying of the lgbtqia community-let’s put an end to this................. 37 Coming out......................................................... 39 Violence and bullying of the lgbtqia community-let’s put an end to this ................ 40 A phase? I think not.......................................... 42 Artwork- Nabilla................................................. 44

ARTICLES AND ARTWORK

Fly away with me............................................. 45 What seems unnatural................................... 46 Road to mercy................................................. 47 Pride celebration or facade........................... 49 Pretty boy........................................................ 50 Artwork- Tanishka.......................................... 52 Homosexuality: Not a disease, not unnatural!........................................................ 53 Know your worth............................................ 54

MEET THE TEAM

Stories............................................................. 55 Reels................................................................56 Newsletter...................................................... 57 Corage SIMSA................................................ 58

1 ABOUT SIMSA

South Indian Medical Students Association (SIMSA) is a consortium of, by and for medical students of South India. Founded when a group of passionate medical students came together, understanding the need for more opportunities and exposure for South Indian medicos. SIMSA is recognized under the government of India and all healthcare students studying in any year of their degree are welcome to come forth and become a part of this organization, and be more.

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ABOUT CORAGE &

BLEED WITH PRIDE

CORAGE is the council on sexual, reproductive health and gender education that works in collaboration with Bleed with Pride, to talk about issues in the field of SRHR that are associated with taboo and stigma. We conduct all our activities and events with the hope that it will help start much needed conversations on sexual and reproductive health and alleviate some of this stigma . We also aim to provide and foster a safe space for expressing one’s opinions or sharing experiences . Over the last year , CORAGE has conducted over 10 events and had an outreach of over 7,000 people.

With the hope to continue our efforts and standing against stigmas , we bring you to the pride chapter with this newsletter.

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Dr. Pj Vishnu bharadwaja COUNCIL CHAIR CORAGE, SIMSA

Understanding identityHello guys I am a doctor, student , educator ,trainer ,photographer , singer and a traveler.

These are all various layers of identities one chooses to express their passion and skill. This is how world identifies you, by what you do and it’s completely the accepted norm but why then do they shun away when the choice of expression is beyond binary in romance and sexuality?

According to CSE curriculum there are 3 layers of identity : 1- Anatomical 2-Romantic 3-Sexual Anatomically there are several conditions where genitals are malformed or under developed or even co exist wherein both male and female parts are seen but none of these stand alone as defining point of your gender.

Romantic and sexual nature is not always limited to opposite sex. If you ask the current generation about their partner choice, most women don’t prefer an alpha male or dominant attitude but prefer someone who can support the family and provide care -

which was typically considered a feminine quality.

Hence it is important not to box up gender based on societal roles.

Our work on gender and identity isn’t just limited to LGBTQ+ but relevant to every one . A chance to introspect and break conventional mindset barriers towards not associating roles based on gender but on feasibilitythe future of innovation.

There will always be certain predefined perspectives based on gender which limit the ideology and out of the box thinking ability. It is upto us to breakfree from them.

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M. Vishma Sai VICE CHAIR CORAGE, SIMSA

Barack Obama, the President of the United States of America, during his two terms from 2009-2016, declared June as the LGBT pride month. Joe Biden, the current President too, has declared June to be the LGBTQ+ Pride Month of 2021.

This month is about teaching acceptance, educating pride history and above all – LOVE. Talking about Pride month and the LGBTQIA+ community brings me so much joy. The fact that we have come such a long way so much so that people have finally started to be more accepting and inclusive in our country. I know that the journey wasn’t easy, for anyone who is or identify themselves as a part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I, being a cis-het woman have been buried under so much privilege, so much, that I fail to notice it sometimes. So much that even everyday tasks, for example, grocery shopping can be a traumatic experience for someone who does not identify as part of this heteronormative society.

As children, we were taught that gender is a solid function – Male, Female. That’s it. And if someone, does not identify themselves as the gender that they are assigned at birth, automatically fails the whole system of heteronormativity. They are automatically labeled as – Bad / Outcasts. The same society is okay with heinous crimes like rape and assault.

So many times, while walking on the streets of Delhi (I live there!) I’ve seen people mocking transgender people.

Parents go like, “If you don’t behave that aunty will take you” and that’s is where we go wrong. A whole generation is unaware/ uneducated about Gender Fluidity and they are imparting wrong ideas into the fragile minds of kids.

Schools being ignorant, do not include sex education, gender fluidity, or the “taboo” topics in their curriculum. What they fail to realize is that this silence, this innominate scenario that we create in our heads is actually fueling the fire.

We at CORAGE, SIMSA x BLEED WITH PRIDE want to educate people and teach them how to be more inclusive not just in the medical field but on an everyday basis – thus we bring to you – REINCARNATION – Defining the new normal.

This is regarding the whole pride month and includes various activities exploring your creative side whilst learning how to be better allies, use of correct pronouns, and being more aware as an individual.

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For the month of June 2021, as a part of allying with the LGBTQIA+ community, CORAGE,SIMSA and Bleed with pride collaborated to bring forward "REINCARNATION".

Now that this newsletter is finally here, we are extremely happy with how it's turned out. We are eternally grateful to each and every participant for being a part of this wonderful venture. Every inch of this newsletter is filled with stories that would not have seen the light otherwise. With this we bring to you tiny steps that can make the life of the LGBTQIA+ community better.

With the apodictic nature of incidents occurring and the facts being stark, one cannot turn a blind eye to the stereotypes and the cold shoulders this community faces. For the betterment of the whole society, we take a pledge with this newsletter that we stand united with the LGBTQIA+ community. You are who you are, and let no one convince you otherwise. You are valid and we are here for you. So here's to a colourful today, tomorrow and always. Let us reincarnate the society and paint it with hues of the rainbow. May no voice be shun ever again.

sreeja shenoy REINCARNATION EDITOR

'Reincarnation' is our attempt to bridge the gap between the gender binarism and the gender spectrum.

We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed assembling this for you!

After a month-long strive of amalgamating this newsletter each one of us has just one thought, love has no limits,only people do!

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Chetana rajesh

The pride month campaign and simultaneously working with 3 SWG’s on multiple social media fronts has helped me gain multiple insights into how we need to break the binary notions of the world we live in . But perhaps , the most insightful event of the month was the live session with Anindita , during which through their first hand experience, they gave us insights into fostering a more queer affirmative environment as healthcare professionals . This newsletter is our attempt at bringing to you insights both of the members and the team working on this entire campaign . We do hope you enjoy going through to it.

VPE LIAISON

The past month has been a learning experience for a lot of us. Working with the Small working groups has taught me so much more about pride than I knew before. Through this month, I sincerely hope that we managed to reach a good number of people- and maybe, just maybe, they had a change of heart. I am grateful for my team and the hardwork they have put into the whole ordeal.

Even though our terms are almost coming to an end, the work we have done so far will have a lasting impact on all of us!

shreya Durve COUNCIL MEMBER

7 OUR LGBTQIA+ CAMPAIGNS

TRANSCEND PANEL DISCUSSION

CORAGE, SIMSA, and BWP in collaboration with Shiva Shakti foundation conducted a panel discussion focused on genderaffirming surgery and rehabilitation after the same for the transgender community. The discussion focused on spreading awareness regarding the transgender community and helping the participants realize the importance of inclusivity in healthcare. The transgender bill was also discussed during the event.

The panel consisted of 3 esteemed guests Maj. Gen NRK Babu MD of BVD Enterprises and RR Enterprises dealing in “Elders Care“. Correspondent of Sri Sivananda Balalaya and President of Swami Sivananda Vidya Samiti.

Ms. Sheela Jose A psychologist and a motivational speaker on life skills and training.

Ms. Samyukta Vijayan Principle Programme Manager at Swiggy and a vocal advocate for LGBTQIA+ community.

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DEBATE TRANSGENDER RIGHTS

CORAGE, SIMSA , with BWP and AMSA India conducted a debate highlighting transgender rights.

Initially, 30 participants were shortlisted based on a qualifying round.

The selected candidates from Prelims made it to the finals.

Finals 6th December 2020 Topic Should there be compulsory age regulation on Gender Affirmative Therapy?

Judges Dr. Bharath Gunetheti HOD Forensic Medicine Mamtha Medical college Ms. Samyukta- Senior Official, Swiggy Dr. Sharada- OB-GYN, CMC Vellore

Structure of prelims 4th December 2020 Topic Influence of movies on transgenders in current society.

Judges Dr. Vishnu Bhardwaja Chair of CORAGE, SIMSA Dr. Vijaya Rupa President, SIMSA Dr. Rukmini Tanjore Chair of COEJA, SIMSA

The debate finals had an outreach of over 500 views on YouTube and were live-streamed.

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PRIDE MONTH CAMPAIGN

We began the pride month with the induction of our Local Officers into groups to create stories, reels and conduct lives.

The effort put in by our team has been added to the Rainbow Care Initiate. Have you checked them out yet?

We will be announcing our Newsletter Results Reincarnation- on the 1st of July, along with the shoutout to all our winners!

We have put out super informative content on various themes of the LGBTQIA+ Community.

The aspects we covered were: The history International sex workers day Terminologies Coming out the closet Anecdotes from the council Being an ally Neurodivergence Legalities Gender neutrality

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PRIDE MONTH CAMPAIGN Live sessions

We also had 2 live sessions with an outreach of almost 900 .

The first one was with Anindita Kundu , a trauma therapist who identifies as bisexual and semi sexual and shared their experience and how they navigate through a heteronormative society .

The second was with Gargi Vishnoi, who is a counselling psychologist and revolved around queer affirmative therapy and how to foster a safe environment free of bullying especially in schools to make them more inclusive .

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IDAHOBIT VIDEO

To mark the international day against Biphobia, Homophobia and Transphobia , CORAGE , SIMSA and BWP did a video on things not to say to members of the LGBTQIA+ community and a reminder for the heterosexual community to check their privilege.

The video has an outreach of over 1.2k views.

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PRIDE CELEBRITY CROSSWORD

Winner - VG Poornima

Across 1. The Indian actor famous for playing roles which battle social norms 3. A Spanish movie with a trans woman as the protagonist, also won an Academy award 6. The character of a very intelligent scientist played by a gay man in an American sitcom 8. An American teen romantic comedy drama (everybody deserves a great love story) 11. An asexual Indian television actress 13. Too good at goodbyes Down 2. A famous luxury fashion house named after the founding gay couple 4. A comedy talk show host of US 5. A bisexual actress who starred in a famous Hollywood romance fantasy film series 7. Magneto and gandalf 9. The multiple academy award winning, heart touching movie 10. A famous British singer songwriter(whose biopic was also released very recently) 12. India's first trans woman doctor in making 14. Olan organisation founded by one of India's oldest gay rights activist and journalist 15. A prominent transgender character from a famous Indian thriller web series.

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PRIDE CELEBRITY CROSSWORD

SOLVED

Across 1. The Indian actor famous for playing roles which battle social norms 3. A Spanish movie with a trans woman as the protagonist, also won an Academy award 6. The character of a very intelligent scientist played by a gay man in an American sitcom 8. An American teen romantic comedy drama (everybody deserves a great love story) 11. An asexual Indian television actress 13. Too good at goodbyes Down 2. A famous luxury fashion house named after the founding gay couple 4. A comedy talk show host of US 5. A bisexual actress who starred in a famous Hollywood romance fantasy film series 7. Magneto and gandalf 9. The multiple academy award winning, heart touching movie 10. A famous British singer songwriter(whose biopic was also released very recently) 12. India's first trans woman doctor in making 14. Olan organisation founded by one of India's oldest gay rights activist and journalist 15. A prominent transgender character from a famous Indian thriller web series.

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MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES OF THE

LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY IN INDIA

Challenges faced and how to help?

-Shaivi Reddy (Council Member)

Mental health is still not considered an important aspect of health in India. Many of us ignore our mental health due to the stigma around it. The LGBTQIA+ community also faces these mental health issues like anxiety, depression, substance abuse, OCD, PTSD etc but they are more amplified. Individuals often go through a period of questioning their sexual orientation and identity, this can cause a lot of stress and confusion. Gender dysphoria which is a feeling of discomfort or distress is common among Transgender and gender-nonconforming people.

They hesitate to come out due to the uncertain reactions of their family and peers. They are in a constant battle with themselves already and often feel isolated. When the people they confide in and trust, ridicule and tell them “it’s just a phase”, it has a negative impact on their mental health. They need to strive and fight hard for acceptance and often fall victim to intolerance and abuse. A majority of them have faced threat, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, physical abuse and harassment.

They don’t even have access to appropriate health care as many deny them treatment, use harsh language and blame their orientation as the cause of the problem and are often stripped of their basic civil rights.

15 During the lockdown, these problems may have been exacerbated because of an unsupportive environment . Due to the mental stress and pressure, they fall prey to substance abuse and tend to develop suicidal tendencies. This creates low self-esteem in them. Youth and adolescents often face the issue of ‘fitting in’ along with their peers, bullying, cyberbullying and verbal abuse from their school or college atmosphere.

How can one struggling?

help

someone

who

is

•As individuals we need to make sure to be open-minded and careful of what we speak.

•We can be curious to know a lot of things, but there’s a certain way to put them. It’s not what you say, it’s how you say.

•We must educate ourselves and be more sensitive. It’s very important to learn and unlearn certain things.

•If we make mistakes, we need to learn and improve ourselves rather than justifying and being defensive.

•It’s really important to know how to react when someone opens up to you. It’s also important to respect their privacy. It's equally significant to keep in mind that if anyone chooses not to come out to you, you don’t have to pester them.

You have to be considerate.

We are slowly developing as well. The decisions taken by the Madras high court and Bangalore in view of the LGBTQIA+ are commendable.

Steps like these will help us march towards a better future filled with hope.

The LGBTQIA+ community must continue to have our support and we need to create a friendly habitat so that it's less challenging for them to accept themselves. Awareness and education is the only key to tackle these obstacles and to be a little attentive to the mental health needs of the LGBTQIA+ community.

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SURGERY IN INTERSEX CHILDREN- BETWEEN

PINKS AND BLUES

Is it a boy or a girl?

This might be the very first question you have heard- And it’s really disheartening- to see that we're born into the binary notion which is rooted in absolute biology- boy, girl; male, female; one, or the other.

However, that notion obscures a far more complicated truth.

As many as 1 in 4500-5000 of babies are different from what is typically called a boy or a girlbabies exhibiting “ambiguous genitalia” DSD (Disorders of Sexual Development) comprise a large group of congenital conditions of the urogenital tract and reproductive system, affecting human sex determination and/or differentiation.

Nomenclature remains controversial; In this aricle, Intersex is used to be more inclusive.

-Bhajan Sasi, PRC

A HARMFUL PARADIGM Those born with malformed genitalia are often diagnosed at birth. However, in resourcepoor countries like India, where not all births are supervised by healthcare workers, some of these children remain undiagnosed until puberty or even later.

Despite evolution in care for intersex children and more than two decades of debate and controversy, the paradigm of treatment for children with intersex traits remains grounded in the practice of early cosmetic genital surgery.

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IS SURGERY A NECESSITY? Many doctors recommend surgical procedures which make the genitalia functional and can help attain future heterosexual penetration, even though sexual function is not needed in infancy and childhood, and many times they result in decreased sexual capability. Male reassignment surgeries are a two-step process, whereas the female reassignment surgery involves the much debated vaginal dilatation procedures.

A common goal of medically unnecessary surgeries on intersex children who are too young to consent is to help them conform to gender and sexual norms and expectations, thereby easing psycho-social stresses through childhood and adolescence.

Genital surgery is not necessary for (legal or social) gender assignment; while some intersex conditions are associated with health risks, atypical genitals are not themselves a health issue.

There are sometimes health issues among children with intersex conditions that do, indisputably, require surgical intervention, such as the removal of cancerous gonads.

Medical evidence regarding both cancer rates and cancer risks for specific intersex conditions.

Gonadectomies are recommended for conditions other than those that cause intersex traits.

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In addition to there being limited data about medical treatment and surgical procedure instantiation, there is also a lack of data regarding outcomes among individuals who did not undergo surgeries.

Despite limited data on outcomes and significant evidence of the harms early surgeries can inflict on intersex people for the rest of their lives, some doctors and parents continue to justify conducting the operations on the frequent belief that “normalizing” surgery will ease children’s socialization throughout childhood and life as adults. But there is no clinical definition of “normal,” which leaves considerable discretion to the individual doctors to advise parents.

CONCLUSION Intersex people are subjected to medical practices that can inflict irreversible physical and psychological harm on them starting in infancy, harms that can last throughout their lives.

The results are often catastrophic, the supposed benefits are largely unproven, and there are generally no urgent health considerations at stake.

Medical settings can be intense for anyone. For intersex children, their experiences of examinations, exposure, and treatment interventions can scar them for life. Pejorative or stigmatizing language from doctors, repeated genital examinations and photographs, and exposure of their bodies to multiple practitioners and students can be traumatizing.

19 Parents often experience extreme stress about the disclosure of the problem to family and friends and find uncertainty very unsettling.

Incomplete or improper counseling can leave parents ill-equipped for the future in which their child’s body will develop differently from their peers. This can result in shame and trauma.

To make appropriate gender care possible for people with DSD, the gender-normative and gender variant development of children with DSD should be studied in longitudinal studies.

Clinicians should avoid the use of terminology that would favour one sex over another.

For Instance, using the term gonad rather than testis/ovary or phallus rather than penis/clitoris would be advised

.

The presence of ambiguous genitalia is not a medical emergency in itself, so parent–infant interaction is essential and the child should not be unduly ‘medicalised’.

An appropriate balance between genital surgery on the one hand and the protection of human rights and dealing with ethical dilemmas on the other must be found.

Gender reassignment Procedures that could be delayed until intersex children are old enough to decide whether they want them should not be performed on infants who then have to live with the consequences for a lifetime, unless they’re medically indicated.

Finally, society should be more accepting towards intersex children, acknowledge the struggles they’re going through. Sail away from a binary notion towards a more inclusive one.

There are other colors between Pink and Blue.

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By Shreya Durve

(Council Member)

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A

C R I S I S

O F

I D E N T I T Y

-Chetana Rajesh (VPE Liaison)

A crisis of identity , A reflection of society’s infidelity, Being myself they said was priority, And for that, I have been shunned by the majority .

A female I was told to be, But to me , that did not come naturally , The world of me was not binary , And for that I often became the subject of mockery.

Be yourself they said , We will be with you at every step , Yet when support was needed , All my calls went unheeded.

A crisis of identity , Connected me to reality , Going beyond the binary : In this world has become a place that is shunned and lonely.

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MENSTRUATION AND LGBTQIA+

Satwik Kuippili (Council Member)

“Women menstruate”.

This is a very common misconception that we see in our every day life. Menstruation itself is a taboo topic in our country .menstrual health of women is very often neglected. And the lgbtqia is another taboo topic which parents and teachers try to avoid in a conversation with children. So when it comes to menstruation in trans people or queer people there are a very few people who even have an idea of who can menstruate.

WHO CAN MENSTRUATE??

Menstruation is a physiological process with in the human body which results in expulsion of blood from uterus .so any person with a healthy uterus can menstruate. Not all women menstruate and not every one who menstruate is a woman.

There are many cis women who cannot menstruate in their menopause or due to many medical issues.

Transmen undergoing hormonal replacement therapy might menstruate upto a few months till their transistion is complete. While transgender women will not experience the bleeding part of the menstrual cycle, they can experience other PMDD-like symptoms, such as sore breasts, rapid mood shifts, and irritability..

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QUEERING MENSTRUATION : Currently published research on trans and non binary menstruation indicate that people may experience deeply negative sentiments about their menstruation and their menstrual management which can be a source of stress,anxiety and dysphoria for people outside the gender binary. one of the chief causes for such discomforts is the navigation of gendered bathrooms.

One of the few studies to address the topic of menstruation among transgender individuals (Chrisler et al. 2016) employed online survey methods to understand how transgender men and masculine of center individuals experience menstruation.

While many participants in this study agreed that menstruation should not be kept a secret, menstruation in public spaces posed a problem for the majority of participants (Chrisler et al. 1246). They expressed feeling unsafe using men’s restrooms and conveyed a need for secrecy and discretion while changing menstrual products.

In a survey done by Raynor.et Al, A total of three individuals, included two transgender men and one masculine of center, genderqueer, transgender individual. .

All participants were white and ranged in age from 22 to 42. Every participant previously experienced menstruation, had experience using pads and tampons, and had undergone hormone replacement therapy to assist with their gender affirming transition. Three major essential themes were identified through the analysis process: experiences of participants during their menarche on doubting their identity when pubery hit them bilogically, participants identifying themselves as transgender or queergenders and coping up with bilogical ways of their bodies, and participants’ transformation and bodily unity during the transition process.

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One of the participants (consented to Raynor et.AL to share their name) Alex described his experiences of his 1st period .”Before school one day, Alex felt something warm and sticky dripping into his underwear. He ran to the restroom, pulled down his shorts, and looked down to find bloodstains in his underwear.

Overwhelmed by the sight of blood, Alex realized his first period had started.

A mixture of panic, confusion, and embarrassment washed over him as he attempted to clean up the bloody mess. While many young girls feel similarly about starting their first period, Alex felt particularly uneasy about this pivotal moment in his life. He wondered why his body had to endure heavy blood flow and cramps every month”.[Raynor thesis 2020.]

Another participant, Brennet described, “I remember when there were spots on my underwear and being in denial about what that was, and throwing that underwear away so nobody would know, and not telling anybody and not taking care to buy pads or anything.”[Raynor thesis 2020]

In brief,the participants described their 1st menstruation as pivotal as well as agitating moment in their adolescence.thier 1stperiod,i.e.their menarche pushed them into a state of confusion and worry questioning their identities .This experience exposed them to a fact that their identities could be different from the other cis gender women around them.

MENSTRUATION AND TRANSITION Gender transition is a process involving a combination of long prescribed medicines for Hormonal Therapy(HRT) and surgery which could be minimal or extensive based on the preferences of an individual.

In this process of transition ,transgender men are prescribed to take shots of testosterone on a monthly or weekly basis depending on the brand and dosage decided by the doctor.

In cases when the shots of testosterone are delayed or in the beginning of HRT where the doses are moderate ,the individual may resume menstruating.

25 This physical sensations of blood flow, cramps, and bloating reminded the participants of the above mentioned study of their biologically female bodies and furthered their irritation while they identified as transgender men or masculine of center/genderqueer. When recalling his own painful period experience, Marshall described running into the bathroom of the grocery store, debilitated by extreme abdominal cramps: “I had dumped over the little trash can and I had my feet up and [I was] just kind of curled up in the fetal position on the toilet because I need to use the restroom, but everything hurt so bad.”

After having all the prescribed dosages and psychological support ,partipants started to feel connected to their own bodies.Transition was a turning point for them ,they felt connected to themselves for the 1st tym since their menarch.

Bennett, who not only underwent hormone replacement therapy, but also had a total hysterectomy and top surgery, described this bodily unity as something he never experienced before, saying:

“ I never was really good at knowing my body and knowing what my body wanted or needed or was doing, like I told you about how I never knew when my period was going to come. It may be, you know, I'm injecting it into myself but at least I know…I can feel that now in my body. It's interesting to know my body that way, in a way that I didn't know it before.”

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MENSTRUAL HYGIENE PRODUCTS In the society where menstruation most often associated with women ,its no wonder that all the menstrual hygeiene prodcuts are designed for women .

In a country like India, feeling the need to conceal a menstrual product is something that many cisgender women relate to. This feeling gets multiplied when it’s transgender people,especially using a men’s restroom.

THINX is the 1st American company to make gender neutral menstrual products and adverstise them.THINX model ,Sawer De Vuyst,featured in boyshorts/breifs for menstruation PROCTER & GAMBLE ,a US based menstrual hygiene prodcut company ,removed venus symbol on their products in support to making gender neutral products. (venus has historically been associated with female sex and womanhood)

In a survey done by Sarah.e Frank ,on 19 transgender people,6 of them admitted that reusable gender neutral pads or moon pads are financial strain,only 2 of them tried out those products .The rest 13 members never heard of any transgender friendly menstrual products.

All the 19 participants mentioned about restrooms that are structured gender based.All the partcicpants were worried about the response from cisgender people when they know transgender people are using the same restroom as theirs. This fear was expressed especially by transgender men.When tansmen undergoing HRT menstruate,their urge to get into a restroom and change the sanitory products was stopped by their doubt on how to come out with sanitory pads or some other menstrual hygiene prodcuts without cis men noticing it.

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They are more afraid of how cismen would react towards them.Mens restrooms structurally do not include trashcans as hand towels and wipes wre replaced by air driers.Disposing a menstrual product for a transman in a mens restroom has now become a challenge.Even if the menstrual prodcut is gender neutral and is concealed in a bag or a pack the audible sound of a pad or a tampoon puts the person in risk of revealing their status as someone who menstruate.

CONCLUSIONIn a constantly changing world that we live in,we need to respect the choices and intrests other people even though they are different to that of us .

Having discussed the menstrual challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ community the solutions could be proper sex education to citizens starting from the primary school itself.

A generation with proper sex education curriculum could deal such issues in a much better way.Introduction of gender neutral system in construction of public restrooms would be a relief to many.Menstrual products even though are distributed freely by some non profit organisations are limited to women in many areas.There are also many transgender people who couldnot afford proper menstrual hygiene.

Brands advertising menstruation as a women’s physiological process should start understanding the gender neutral way for promoting and operating their products.

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PRIDE & EVOLUTION

In sociology, Society refers not to mere group of people but to complex pattern of norms of interaction that arise among them.

Unfortunately, violation of rights and discrimination based on caste, religion and gender has deviated this institution from upholding its virtue. When coming to case of LGBTQIA+community, things are even more pathetic. Existing norms of society only support binary individuals and their pronouns.

Being non-binary is regarded either as mental disorder or a behavioural flaw. But strictly speaking, nonbinary people aren’t a WESTERN PHENOMENON.

-Musaina Farsana

Home and schools are primary institutions of every individual where they learn lessons of love and compassion. But once identified as non-binary, parents, teachers along with peers start bullying them.

Deprived of safe environment and proper education, Child has to elope away. But, none is much concerned about the psychological trauma it would create. Lack of education denies good opportunities in work sector. There exists not a single law on property rights for trans people preventing them from financial stability and making more vulnerable to abuses. Wondrously enough, Holy books have many evidences of sexual diversity.

Ardhanaarishwara, Ayyappa, Shikhandi are all magnanimously powerful and benovelent. These are deities whom we adore and genuinely respect.

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But, when it comes to humans alive and breathing in front of us, We hesitate to show some warm respect. This finally drive them to be beggars, sex workers and end their lives in misery. Where rights of LGBTQ people are undermined, then rights of other minorities and critical members of civil society will soon also be in jeopardy.

To put an end to this, bureaucracy should ensure amendments in laws to empower and protect this minority.

Property management, same-sex marriage and child adoption of trans people should be legalised.

Awareness campaigns should be held in schools and colleges to educate parents and teachers about different sexual orientations and their dignity. No child should be ill-treated in their homes for embracing the pronouns they love. No more should be forced to opposite sex marriages. Every individual has the right to cherish love of their life. Safety and acceptance should be ensured in public places too. Public transport system, toilets, health care facilities should be designed in a way they support minorities. Definitely, access to proper education will provide them financial stability and prevent from beggary and sexwork.Official auditing should take these minorities into concern. The society can thus evolve out from a below average thinking level, finally adding up human resources of the nation and makes it immensely productive.

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A N O N Y M O U S

I was in my 9th grade then. I didn't know much about non binary. All I knew were a few jokes made on the "other" option in the gender column. My biology teacher avoided me when I started asking him questions about the "other" option. I had my friends call me "other" for showing interest in trying to learn what it really meant. Some used to say men who got their penises cut were considered as "other", some used to say cursed people are considered to be "other". I had no access to the internet back then.Once, I was at the entrance of a wedding hall. A group of trans people were passing by.

People around me started whispering that they were all crossdressers. A few were afraid and ran back into the wedding hall.

I was a curious kid. I wanted to know who exactly they were. Everyone I tried to question, silenced me down. I was curious and afraid at the same time. My friends told me that they were all cursed people.

A person from the group came to talk to me with a smile on their face .Maybe that person was looking for an address or maybe for some water,I don't recall. I was afraid right from the moment that person approached me.

C O N F E S S I O N S

The false fear that every one filled in me overtook my curiosity, I ran back into the wedding hall. I know I made that person feel terrible. A young kid had just run away when they came to talk with a happy face. Years after that day, even now when I remember what I did, I feel extremely sorry for making that person feel bad. If just one person around me had answered my question instead of silencing me, that person would not have gone home with a feeling that a child had run away from them just because they were being themselves.

Even now, I wonder what community I belong to. I am assuming as pansexual or bisexual.

Living in this judgemental society, I never really came out. I thought, If I did come out of the so called closet, I would mess up with my relationships.

I confessed to two of my close friends. One of them was really supportive. The other one, even though didn't say anything to me, I feel like we have grown distant after my confession.

31

B I G O T R Y

A N D

T R A N S P H O B I A

-Harshitha Vullaganthi

The status quo of the acceptance of anything that doesn't fit the heteronormative narrative does take the form of a multi-hued palette where the spectrum comfortably includes the rainbow and quite uncomfortably the darker beyond. As conversion therapy, homophobic violence, peer victimization and many more, continue to be abhorring realities in more countries than one, the United States and many other nations of the far west, and even the metropolitan cities of India are witnessing the uprising of many LGBTQIAP+ influencers and icons and their corporate integration for varying reasons ranging from inclusivity to tokenism.

All this said and done, it is quite interesting and a wee bit jarring to note the hypocrisy with which different socioeconomic strata of the community are perceived.

While the picturesque depictions of the lives of cis-gendered individuals are liked and shared by many, there is a severe dearth of the same regard when it comes to trans folks or rather trans folks who don't pass of as cis-genders/ look conventionally masculine or feminine.

32 The deference regarded to a transwoman who is well educated and has amassed a considerable following on social media is in no capacity equivalent to what is given to a transwoman who is a sex worker or a part of the Hijra community, by the same followers, and that bigotry continues to exist. In addition to it, the cis-gendered and the

apparently heterosexual men who are enraged by their mere mention as a homosexual or transgendered person and also use them as slurs, happen to be the clientele that these trans women are tend to. Integration of inclusive information about the community, particularly the science and research about trans bodies in medical education and sensitization of doctors as better allies to the community will go a long way in securing the health and well being of our trans folks and mayhap inadvertently also lead to their upliftment in the society.

Utopia would truly become reality when more and more people ranging from millennials to GenZ irrespective of their socioeconomic strata or alleged "wokeness" would recognize transphobia and intolerance and put an end to it.

33

VIOLENCE AND BULLYING OF THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY-

LET'S PUT AN END TO THIS

-Sakshi Kumari

All people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential."

-Harvey Milk

Because of who they love, how they appear, or who they are, people all across the world are subjected to violence and inequity, as well as torture and even execution. Sexual orientation and identity are fundamental aspects of who we are and should never be targeted for violence or discrimination. According to a survey, 85 percent of LGBT kids in some nations face homophobic and transphobic violence in the classroom, and 45 percent of transgender students drop out. The figures are shocking, and it's past time for us to make a difference.

Many people, whether intentionally or unintentionally, discriminate against LGBT youth. Society, friends, family, and even school teachers and administrations all discriminate against LGBT youngsters on a regular basis. The figures above illustrate that LGBT kids not only lack support and guidance, but also that discrimination has a significant impact on them in multiple ways.

34 According to Cole (2007), LGBT youths have a higher rate of abuse, neglect, and discrimination than straight youths. Most parents, in my opinion, would want their children to be straight rather than gay, and most school authorities would prefer straight kids to LGBT pupils. This desire could be a contributing element in LGBT youth discrimination.

Schools and parents are the two key sources of power and ability to reduce discrimination towards LGBT kids.

They, in my opinion, have the largest influence on LGBT children and, as a result, have the most potential to minimise substance misuse, educational failure, and suicides. lf parents and schools work together and productively, they can significantly reduce the effects of discrimination against LGBT youths. Clearly, if they stay on the same page, they can alleviate LGBT youths' suffering and help them live a normal and happy life.

A homosexual sensitivity training for anti-gay kids and schools is one strategy that can be used in schools.

Both kids and school administrators would benefit from the training. It would, in my opinion, assist school administrators in overcoming whatever prejudices they may have against LGBT students.

Because anti-gay bullying kids may be unaware of the issue. Schools should implement a system that allows all students to be taught on the subject.

Students, like any other student, should be given a comprehensive view of the subject. I am confident that even if our strategy only helps two out of ten anti-gay students stop discriminating against LGBT students, it will make a difference. Monthly meetings between school authorities and parents should be introduced as an additional scheme to review the progress of existing measures.

Individually, we come a long way, but the LGBTQIA community's continued violence and bullying reveals that we are regressing. People, regardless of who they are or who they love, should be treated equally. How can we make the world a better place if only half of the population is permitted to speak up?

35

H O W

W i l l ?

-A Pranitha

How will society accept me with the flaws I possess if they think this was my choice? HOW WILL...?

How will Amma muster the courage to support me in the rough and love me enough if she thinks it is a curable disease?

How will Appa give me a bone-crushing hug and pat my back for not hiding under a rug if he thinks it is immoral and uncivilized?

How will my baby sister be my knight in the shining armor if she thinks I am an embarrassment to the brood?

How will my friends sing, “If you are gay, then you are gay” with me if they fleer and leave me in despair?

How will my family celebrate who I am if they recite bible verses to remove the satan that ate me?

How will my kinsman help me find love if they brush it off by saying, ”It’s just a phase and this too shall pass”?

How will the master enlighten the world about my identity if all he does is call me a monster?

How will the doctor treat me without prejudice while he mocks me with words like,” There is something gay about that face"?

How will the seniors let me be well-groomed and bien vestido if they think it is all about silver bows and gaudy ribbons?

How will the neighbors let their children play with me if they think I could brainwash their poor kid into becoming GAY? How will my future swain love a star-crossed sam, if he thinks being a GAY is a crime?

How will my bambino stride with pride in this homophobic world, if he thinks I make his life flexuous?

How will the world let me walk into the sunlight if they think I should cry in a closet?

How will the people tell me,” It's okay to be GAY” if they think it is better to keep my feelings at bay?

Nineteen years and seven months, Since the painful secret continues to grow, it landed in a world full of blows.

Confused about my identity, cried my broken heart, Managing to hide my sexuality, to be the family's sweetheart.

- SAM. ( A Nineteen-year-old GAY struggling to find his own identity, fighting the bigoted world to set his soul free.)

36

By Shruthi K

VIOLENCE AND BULLYING OF THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY-

37

LET'S PUT AN END TO THIS

-Hariprasath.M

INDIA, AN LGBTQIA HELLSCAPE

Rape, molestation and harassment are terms that make us think of women safety. However, these deplorable transgressions are as prevalent against the LGBTQIA community, and even more buried under fear of revealing identity than being brought to justice. The very act of proclaiming one’s true self is used against LGBTQIA members.

That combined with general hatred against these poor souls has led to some of the most inhumane travesties to be encouraged and celebrated.

So many groups stand in unison to mete out aggressions against the LGBTQIA community. The police are ruthless in their criminalization of the LGBTQIA community. Multiple leaders of different religions are in atypical harmony about LGBTQIA being religiously immoral and its members being damned. Prideful parents go to such lengths to threaten and torture their own LGBTQIA children, cursing them and disowning them for bringing ‘shame’ to their families. The laws set forth by the government are subpar in their efforts to sensitise people to the normality of LGBTQIA, with extortions and blackmails only increasing after section 377’s repeal.

Ultimately, the country is currently a hellscape for all LGBTQIA members and supporters.

38 Through the insurmountable amounts of efforts to thwart the progress of the LGBTQIA community, its members remain stalwart in their fight.

STALWART AND IN UNISON With the increasing understanding of the LGBTQIA community and with evidences proving that they are no less human than an average heterosexual, nobody should be scared to stand beside our LGBTQIA brethren, for they aren’t who the society labels them as, and need all the support they can get to strive for a pro-LGBTQIA India.

Supporting pro-LGBTQIA NGOs (Sahodaran Chennai, Sangini, Umang) is a great way of enabling proper assistance to LGBTQIA members and empowering the minority. Pride parades are resplendent events that occur in various cities with the intent of bringing about LGBTQIA awareness and gaining rights for the community.

Only by staying united and steadfast against the inequities happening to LGBTQIA people can we hope to reform the narrow-mindedness of the society and its backward perceptions.

39

COMING

OUT

-John Kennedy Preethi

Hidden in a dark stifling closet, resisting to be oneself, fearing this world’s homophobic mindset, mumbling prayers for help.

Rehearsing a thousand times, for opening up emotions I feel.

Sulking in a reverie of perplexed thoughts; Are Love and acceptance even real?

Halfway through the speech, I choke.

Should I face reality? my world shook.

I decided to unravel the truth, twinging beneath my skin since youth.

Stepped before my mom and dad, revealed the real me, stabbing the one I pretended to be.

Relieving a long holding breath, free.

They were sunken and stupefied, Mom stepped forward, held my hand.

Those wet eyes swept past my face, she knew, I kept a secret away from her, always.

She wiped away my tears, hugged me tight and subtly whispered ‘I love you, whomever you chose to be, my child’.

That moment of revelation, was a blissful celebration of liberation.

The point of deviation, from self-hatred to self-appreciation.

Cracked up stone walls built around myself high, now I’m ready to fly, fluttering rainbow wings in the prismatic sky, having no more purpose to lie.

40

VIOLENCE AND BULLYING OF THE LGBTQIA COMMUNITY-

LET'S PUT AN END TO THIS

-Nabilla Tahoor

“There's nothing wrong with you.

There's a lot wrong with the world you live in." -Chris colfer.

People around the world are facing violence, inequality and sometimes torture, even execution-because of who they love, how they look, or who they are. Violence against LGBTQ+ people can range from bullying in school to workplace harassment to physical violence. Sexual orientation and gender identity are integral aspects of ourselves and should never lead to discrimination or abuse.

Like all forms of bullying, homophobic bullying can be through passing comments on a person's gender or sexuality deliberately that makes them feel uncomfortable, calling a person names or teasing them or physically hurting them, usage of inappropriate sexual comments or gestures, refusing

to work or cooperate with someone because of their real or percieved sexual orientation, making nasty comments about a person online, mocking or imitating someone's voice, mannerisms etc. Also, the improper language used against LGBTQ+ people is unacceptable.

It is very important to deal with derogatory terms used to describe LGBTQ+ people, also casual comments said in passing, such as describing a negative situation as 'gay', can also be very damaging. Often some people may not realise how offensive this kind of talk can be. But throwaway comments can seriously undermine their selfesteem. Through public education, training and local programs, the pervasive problem of violence committed against and within the LGBTQ community can be addressed.

41 As a community, LGBTQ people face higher rates of stigma, and marginalization. They also face higher rates of hate-motivated violence, which can often take the form of sexual assault. For LGBTQ survivors of sexual assault, their identities - and the discrimination they face surrounding those identities - often make them hesitant to seek help from police, hospitals, shelters or rape crisis centres, the very resources that are supposed to help them.

Coming to terms with being gay or trans and coping with it can be difficult enough for many young people. It can be even harder if this has to be done in secret because of the fear of negative reaction from other people. LGBTQ+ people, like any other human, deserve to be treated with respect, tolerance and dignity.

“Everyone should be able to be who they are, to love who they love and to live their lives without judgement or fear."

42

“IT MUST BE A PHASE.”

A PHASE? I THINK NOT.

-Annapoorna P K

The number of times I’ve heard this first hand or as a recounting of someone else’s coming out story is mind boggling. There is a general assumption that being queer could be a ‘phase’. People have so much trouble wrapping their heads around LGBTQ+ identities that they find it easier not to associate any permanence to them.

It’s easier to dismiss them as a ‘phase’.

This is not separated from the idea that someone can be influenced into exploring and becoming queer. It is absurd that such exploration is abhorred and seen as ‘abnormal’; while it’s perfectly normal for queer people to stay in unhappy and restrictive heteronormative relationships and even marriages for years.

The lack of exposure and the stigma associated with LGBTQ+ identities makes it extremely difficult for young queer individuals to understand and express themselves.

The little representation that does exist in popular media is filled with bad portrayals. Several of these try to fit queer identities and relationships into heteronormative terms.

Same-sex relationships are shown as having one person who is the ‘man’ of the relationship, conventionally masculine and the other as more docile and conventionally feminine.

43

What’s worse is the way the sexuality of gender minorities is represented. In a tweet about his upcoming movie, ‘Dangerous’, Ram Gopal Varma mentioned that it involves two women who fall passionately in love due to bad experiences with men.

This basically reduces the existence of gay women to a coping mechanism.

By continuing to show LGBTQ+ identities in badly researched, incorrect ways, popular media only propagates existing stereotypes, making it all the more difficult for queer individuals to get by. It is no wonder that queer folks in India struggle to understand and express themselves. This is followed by the fear of coming out and being discriminated and rejected, at the very least.

In a country like India, where conversion therapy is still practiced, the possibilities what of a queer individual would face once they come out are potentially dangerous.

There has been some positive and decent representation in recent times and there is a dire need for more of those. These may contribute towards a change of mind set that queer identities are not a ‘phase’ or unnatural. They are as valid as cisheterosexual identities and deserve as much acceptance.

44

By Nabilla Tahoor

45

F L Y

A W A Y

W I T H

M E

- Snigdha Mishra

Fly away with me Even if it is just beyond the rainbows in my dreams Take my hand and hold me close I don’t want grand gestures of fancy rings or aerial love shows Just you and me Out in the open Not behind closed doors It is all probably a fantasy I made up in my head Of a day when we won’t have to hide Or by the circumstances be lead Fly away with me With our multihued love amongst society's stares Neither a worry in the world nor a single care Fly away with me Because in a world of clamor, chaos, and commotion You are my calm and you are my peace, You are all that I want and all that I need If this a dream, let me sleep I don’t care if it comes crashing down for me But tonight I dare to go deep Off to my wondrous land Of a dream within a dream – Where you are finally holding my hand and You are flying away with me

46

W H A T

S E E M S

An instance in my life, when seen by bystanders, would have made me look transphobic. A trans woman came up to me when I was at a restaurant and remarked at my outfit. I ignored everything she said and promptly glared at the cashier.

He nodded his head, gave some money to the woman and she left. I was put off by the incident, having nothing but contempt towards her.

A bit of time and empathy cleared my mind to the fact that I could have wrapped up the exchange respectfully. I was wrong, but why did it happen in the first place? That trans woman was a beggar, one of millions who are forced to resort to drastic measures to survive on a dayto-day basis. They aren’t victims of misfortune but victims of thievery, of their fundamental rights, by the majority of Indians. So many stigmatise the transgender community. Their reasoning is that what we’re born as, is natural, and that any deviance is unnatural. This is still prevalent after the Indian Psychiatric Society stated that there’s no evidence against it being natural.

Strong pride and inexorability of the society have doomed transgender people to a borderline savage lifestyle.

U N N A T U R A L

-Hari Prasath.M

Constant hatred and stereotyping towards generations of the transgender community has contorted even their thinking.

They’ve lost all hope of a better life where they are treated as humans and live however, without judgement. Around 57 percent of the transgender population conform to this abominable society and lead their lives as sex-workers, beggars and rely on ‘Badhais’. What I did that day was also conforming to the way the society wants us to see them as, sub-humans. If it took me days to contemplate and admit my mistake, I shudder at the thought of the entire nation taking its time.

47

R O A D

Sitting on the terrace ,feeling the cool and heavy breeze, I was wondering if I could have another bottle of whisky."Happy married life" I heard, with a bit of crack in their voices. I slowly noticed one of my 3 bottles rolling down the stairs.By the time I picked it up, I received a call saying, "Hey man! Check your car, it's making noise”. I rushed down to see what's wrong. I was dumbstruck, seeing two bodies over my car.

Hello, this is Staffin, welcome to my world of deaths cause I'm a detective and of all the cases I have come across so far, this is probably the only one that society doesn't care about.

Getting into the specifics of the case, David was an orphan, after going through tremendous struggles, he had got into college. On the other hand, Damon was from a renowned family with no worries. They met in college and were inseparable.

The first time when I met Damon's dad, he was speechless with nothing other than tears rolling down his eyes and I was clueless about what was happening.The case was closed with the suspicion of it being a double suicide. Several days have passed by.

Now, I'm at the place where exactly 2 weeks ago,the unspeakable occurred.

Questions about the untimely deaths still remain unanswered.

T O

M E R C Y

-Prerana

I was rewinding everything when suddenly I figured out something. It flashed through my mind. I rushed down the stairs and checked the security footage of the day of crime.I was out of breath, sweating as if I had just run a triple marathon. My intuition was right, it was Damon's father. Many questions popped in my brain and the only person who could answer was his dad.

Without wasting a second,I ran to his father.After making a lot of efforts he answered with grief ,“it was all my

48 mistake,I should have understood my son.I deserve to be punished”.

“Damon was our dearest son,everyone had a lot of hopes for him. But one day, everything was ruined.I came to know that he didn't like girls, in fact, he was attracted to guys!!Hope you understand what I mean. I hid this matter from everyone, asked him to behave himself and not to come out that as gay, that's why nobody knows this.

He did not mark my words and brought another guy of his kind and told me he was so in love and wanted to marry him. They kept arguing it was totally normal and that was the way they felt for each other.”

I could not accept this and decided to separate them. So I followed them to the terrace and pulled my trigger against David's head hoping he would leave my son. But shockingly my son grabbed his hand and both of them gazed at each other for a minute and...........”

The case was closed with Damon's father's testimony and he was charged with aiding and abetting the deaths of both the youngsters. I comprehended the last second of their lives “HAPPY MARRIED LIFE” they had told each other and jumped off.

They knew the society wouldn't accept the HUSBAND-HUSBAND concept. It was a happy-sad ending for them.

49

PRIDE: CELEBRATION OR FACADE?

slogans recited, placards held high, posters on walls, paintings on faces, balloons tied from pillar to post, stickers and beads, flags waving, small ones pinned onto the chest like a soldier’s medal, the pride march goes really well, sensitizers and supporters, awareness and celebration. it all ends. colourful and all. people disperse into alleys into the shadows of twilight the shouts quieten air shushed into silence. placards scattered around the street some burnt down, balloons popped, some just let go of, like the lesbian girl after she came out to her family. stickers peeled off the skin, paintings being rubbed and washed aggressively, flags turned down and stuffed inside bags and pockets, the soldier’s medal taken off hastily

- Shruti V

everything done to hide identity to not be jumped upon to not be harmed to just return home safe

their

the police surround and the hearts grip fear assurance is far and violence is anticipated the nearby stations are closed the subways are guarded get home safethey say the crowd heaves a sigh of relief, and they are let out in small groups to avoid anyone who would try to harass them hundreds of people just wait to return home safe and they do. pride still isn’t a colourful, happy celebration it’s just the rainbow flag flying maybe higher than before.

50

P R E T T Y

B O Y

There was another lonely soul just like me without any friends in this new academic year, sitting beside me, Chadwick. He was my classmate in first standard. He was an active and enthusiastic kid with big doe eyes.

Now he has totally changed except for one thing, he is still cute and pretty. I smiled at him and he smirked back. It was very hard to pull out words from him, but as days passed by, he was comfortable with me and became my best friend.

But from the beginning of the academic year, I have been noticing that every single time Chadwick's name was called out for attendance, some boys yelled out ‘Steve’, our batch Sports Captain’s name, repeatedly.

-John Kennedy Preethi

He was tall, sturdy, and a handsome guy. Chadwick’s face turned red, out of embarrassment and he lay his head down on the desk. On the other hand, Steve didn’t even react. I could hear the giggling from the back of the classroom like the shattering of coins on the floor. During the lunch break, I saw him rush into the male restroom. I stood waiting for him outside the restroom.

He shouted out from the restroom, “Go, don’t wait for me, I will join you in the next period”.

But I didn’t leave. He stepped out before the final bell.

51 His eyes were swollen and red from crying in the washroom for over an hour. “Whenever you are ready to talk about the things you want to talk about, I’ll be here to listen”, I told him and I strolled into the classroom quietly.

The next day, during lunch period he opened up to me. He said he was being constantly bullied and teased by most of our batch boys.

They tease him by asking him to join in the girl's line during assembly, not accepting him in any of their sports teams, and so on.

But above all what he was most worried about was pairing him up with Steve.

He said it all started in fifth standard while playing a truth or dare game with the boys.

Chadwick was asked to answer the truth, “whom he had a crush on and would like to date”? for which he answered “Steve”.

From that day on, all the guys in the class started teasing him with other guys and especially with Steve.

I didn’t know how to react to whatever he said. It was totally new to me. I was perplexed. I asked him if whatever he told in the truth or dare game was true, for which he nodded yes. I gave him a blank look.

He smiled and said, “now you’re also disgusted, aren’t you? And once again I’m fated to be lonely without friends”.

After a moment of silence and deep thought, I answered him, “There is nothing to be disgusted, guilty, or ashamed of. What is really disgusting are those people who find pleasure in someone’s pain. And I’m not an idiot to abandon an interesting, intelligent, and enduring friend like you”.

He was totally relieved and pleased after hearing this, that he said “I have come out to the right person” and smiled.

52

By Tanishka Kummari

53

HOMOSEXUALITY: NOT A DISEASE,

NOT UNNATURAL!

“HOMOSEXUALITY IS AN ILLNESS OR A HEALTH ISSUE.”

• First of all, more than 20 years ago, the World Health Organisation explicitly clarified that homosexuality is a natural and non – pathological variation of human sexuality.

• Love is a pure feeling. It’s not gender based, religious based, caste based, race based or age based. Love is love, nothing can stop it. A person can call in love with anyone. It’s their complete wish.

• No one has rights to comment or talk ill about anyone. Homosexuality is not an exception. You cannot judge a person just because he or she is homosexual.

• The cause of homosexuality is unknown and it needn’t have to be known. A person can have feelings for anyone and it’s completely their wish to decide that. Feelings are same for everyone.

-Swarnamalya M K • Sexual orientation of a person cannot be changed and it’s not a health issue to provide treatment.

This doesn’t change anything.

• The one thing we need most in this society is a good name. To live, we need to study, get a job, get salary, a good home, food and a happy life with their loved ones, that’s all. We don’t have to see what's the person’s caste, gender, age, race or sexual orientation for this.

• People think that homosexuality is a mental disorder but is not. We cannot force a person to change what we expect them to. It’s their choice to do what they want. Stop hurting the feelings of harmless people and start acting upon the offensive ones.

• Live and let live.

54

K N O W

Sometimes we get so distracted by holding on to a specific identity that we forget how complex and expansive we are as individuals, and just how hard it is to reduce ourselves to one specific label. Right from the moment we are born, we start constructing our identities in ways that help others make sense of us. Rarely do we then deconstruct those adopted identifiers of ourselves to really understand what makes sense *to* us.

To simplify, think of it this way: we have so many labels attached to us based on various factors. We are identified as someone's 'child', 'sibling’, ‘grandchild', ‘student', 'friend'; we are identified based on our looks - 'the tall one', 'the one with long hair'; we are identified based on our skin colour, religion, sexuality, gender, mother tongue, and so many other things. At any given point, in time, We are just ONE of these things.

Y O U R

W O R T H

-Musaina Farsana

And similarly, at different points of our life, ALL those identifiers hold neither truth nor permanence. As we grow, some of our identifiers change with us. We adopt newer roles and labels, we drop some. And therein lies the bigger picture - that there is no need to attach to a particular label to be considered valid and/or to exist.

The aim then, for me at least, is to understand that while labels are helpful and sometimes necessary in day-to-day life, we are so much more beyond them and that our true selves will still exist without said labels. We can truly realise our potential by being aware of that.

And there is immense comfort in knowing that truth."

55

MEET

THE

TEAM

STORIES TEAM

All our beautiful stories that have gone out over the duration of the last month have been curated by our stories team .

They have been choosing a theme for every week and have covered a range of diversified topics with regards to the LGBTQIA+ community .

With a reach of over 2200 people , they have ensured that the pride month is educational and interactive for both SIMSA and non SIMSA members.

Introducing the team behind these stories :

Sabhya Co-lead

Tanishka Co-lead

Geethika Volunteer

56

MEET

THE

TEAM

REELS TEAM

As a generation , we are constantly looking to social media for interactive and engaging content . The reels team , with their constant efforts to cater to all the generations , have made a series of educational and interactive reels that were aimed at educating our audience about the LGBTQIA+ community .

A total of 10 reels with some still to go have been posted by this team with a total number of views touching 30,000+ for all reels combined , averaging at 3,000 views per reels.

Introducing our reels team :

Harshitha Lead

Hamsa Priya Volunteer

VG Poornima Volunteer

MEET

57

THE

TEAM

NEWSLETTER TEAM

With the challenge of working on the first ever newsletter being released by the CORAGE team as part of their pride month campaign , the newsletter team has worked hard to help curate an interactive, aesthetically pleasing and engaging version that documents all our ventures in the field of inclusivity so far .

With the newsletter set to be released on Thursday, we hope you go through our newsletter and have as much fun reading it as our team had curating it for you.

Introducing our newsletter team :

Nurayn Afza Lead

Urja Joshi Design Coordinator

Sreeja Shenoy Editor

Jayabharathi Editor

MEET

58

THE

TEAM

CORAGE, SIMSA

Dr.PJ Vishnu Bharadwaja Council Chair

M Vishma Sai Vice Chair

Zubeidaa Fathima VPI Liaison Chetana Rajesh VPE Liaison

MEET

THE

TEAM

59

Kuppili Satwik

Shaivi Reddy

Varsha Anna Abraham

Shreya Durve

Shimoni Jain

Pooja Koormachalam

MEET

THE

TEAM

60

Aakansha Chauhan

Shagufta Praveen

Bhajan Sasi PRC

Adithi R PRC