LGBTQ+ and the Right to Be Accepted
Who gets to decide who a person really is? I think this is one of the most important questions
when we talk about the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ+ people are human beings just like
everyone else. They have feelings, families, dreams, fears and hopes. When someone accepts
their identity and comes out, what they need from others is support and normal care, not
disgusting looks, unnecessary opinions or hatred. I believe that simply giving them the
respect that every human being deserves is enough.
One thing I feel society does wrong is making people feel different. We often put people into
fixed categories such as “man” and “woman” and expect everyone to behave according to
those categories. We decide how a man should dress, speak and behave, and how a woman
should dress, speak and behave. When someone does not fit these expectations, people start
questioning them. But not fitting into society's expectations does not make someone less
human. A person should not have to prove that they deserve respect.
In India, this issue becomes more complicated because identity can affect many practical
parts of life. Transgender people have historically faced exclusion from education,
employment, healthcare, housing and other services. Even though India has laws recognising
transgender persons and protecting them from discrimination, having a law and actually
receiving equal treatment are not always the same thing. The Government of India has
provisions for recognition of transgender identity and welfare measures, but there can still be
a gap between rights on paper and what people experience in everyday life.
I think the feeling of not fitting anywhere can itself become a serious problem. Imagine being
constantly told that you are supposed to belong to one particular category, while your own
identity does not match what other people expect from you. Instead of asking a person to
change themselves to fit society, society should become more understanding of people who
are different from the majority. Being a minority should not mean being treated as an
outsider.
The poem The Phallus I Cut by Kalki Subramaniam made me think about this in another
way. The poem is connected to the poet's experience as a transgender woman and challenges
the way society understands gender. One idea that stayed with me was the idea of not fitting
into the place that society has created for you. The poem made me think about how much a
person may have to struggle before society accepts their identity.
I was also disturbed by the description of the traditional ritual mentioned in the poem, in
which the poet describes a painful and unhygienic process connected with entering a new life.
I personally do not think a person should have to go through dangerous or painful practices to
prove their identity. If someone wants to make changes to their body, I believe it should be
done through safe and proper medical care rather than through an unsafe ritual. What affected
me more was not only the physical pain, but the fact that a person may feel the need to go
through such an extreme experience to finally be recognised as who they are.
The poem also made me question why society gives so much importance to the body when
deciding a person's identity. A person's body does not tell us everything about who they are.
We should not reduce someone's entire identity to one physical characteristic. This is
especially important when talking about transgender people. A transgender person should not
have to convince every person around them that their identity is real.
Another important part of acceptance is the response of family. Coming out can already be
difficult because a person might be afraid of being rejected by the people who are closest to
them. Instead of immediately judging them or treating them differently, family members
should try to listen to them. They may not understand everything at first, but they can still
show love and support. I think this is what many people need when they come out — not
special treatment, but the feeling that they are still the same person in their family's eyes.
This issue is not limited to family or personal relationships. LGBTQ+ people also have to
live in society like everyone else. They need education, jobs, healthcare, housing and
opportunities. If someone is denied an opportunity only because of their gender identity or
sexual orientation, then it is discrimination. A person's ability to study or work should depend
on their skills and behaviour, not on whether they fit into society's traditional idea of gender.
Equal opportunity should actually mean equal opportunity.
I also think there is a difference between accepting someone and completely understanding
their experience. We cannot expect every person to know everything about LGBTQ+
identities. Someone may have questions or may need time to understand something
unfamiliar to them. That does not make them a bad person. The important thing is how they
behave while learning. We can disagree about some things or have different beliefs and still
avoid insulting, humiliating or dehumanising another person. Basic respect should not depend
on complete agreement.
Sometimes I feel that society is more concerned about putting people into categories than
actually knowing them as individuals. We see someone's appearance and immediately make
assumptions about their gender, behaviour or personality. We do this so naturally that we may
not even realise it. But a person is much more than a category. Before asking whether
someone is a man, a woman or anything else, we should remember that they are a human
first. Their identity should not become a reason for other people to decide their value.
I believe acceptance does not mean that every person has to understand everything
immediately. People may have questions, and sometimes they may not know much about
LGBTQ+ identities. But there is a difference between not understanding something and
disrespecting someone because of it. We can learn, ask respectful questions and still treat
people kindly. Nobody deserves to be stared at, mocked or treated as disgusting simply
because they are different from us.
For me, LGBTQ+ acceptance is ultimately about basic humanity. They are not asking to be
treated as something more than other people. They are asking to be treated as people. They
deserve normal care, dignity, safety and respect. Just because someone does not fit into the
traditional categories created by society does not mean that they do not belong.
Maybe the real question is not “Why are they different?” but “Why does their difference
bother us so much?” If we can learn to look at people as human beings before looking at their
identity, then perhaps we can create a society where nobody has to feel that they do not
belong anywhere.
ENGLISH ASSIGNMENT
LGBTQ+ and The Right to Be Accepted
Name
: Divyasri U
Class
: B.Sc. Psychology (First Year)
Reg. No. : RA2681015010014