Back in 2013, when a Supreme Court judge, while delivering a verdict on Section 377, had remarked that he had "never met a gay person", it seemed that the LGBTQ community was being indirectly asked to fall in line or be ousted as 'pariahs'.
The self-proclaimed swamis and babas even offered to cure individuals of the ‘disease’ using simple potions or through pranayama.
For years, the community has actively been fighting for their right to privacy, dignity and equality in the country. Even prominent LGBT individuals, including Sangeet Natak Akademi award-winning Bharatnatyam dancer Navtej Singh Johar, have filed a writ petition asking the SC to quash Section 377 which criminalises gay sex.
With growing representation in today's mainstream media, the awareness about the community and their plight is widespread. Many lifestyle brands and even TV shows have aired advertisements and episodes aiming at normalising same-sex relationships.
The ‘A’ Certificate
But of course disapproval from various sections resonates when we see banning or censoring of films with same-sex couples like Mira Nair's Fire (1998) which was the first ever Indian film to speak of lesbianism.
After two decades, the situation remains. A music video on same-sex love called 'Miss You' was released last month by Friends of Linger, a Delhi-based band. The video cannot be played on music channels because it was granted 'A' certification by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).
The Quint reached out to Sharif Rangnekar, founder of the band, for his comments on the issue.
He said he has not heard back from the censor board yet, but around 10 seconds of the video is what the board deems objectionable, as it shows two men in bed.
Sharif and his team seem confident that the video will not be banned.
Just last year, MTV’s Big F series had aired an episode dedicated to the LGBTQ community without being censored.
Recently, a YouTube series focussing on two women in love called 'The Other Love Story' was released and garnered much appreciation from the netizens. Within a month since its release, the series has over 10 lakh views.
Creative photo narratives, such as 'Coming Out' by Arjun Kamath, has also resonated with the audience all across.
Time to update the archaic laws and mindset?
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