Queer, gaining acceptance

In school, when I used to hear the word 'queer', I understood it as 'strange", as in 'queer phenomena'. Also there is a phrase, 'queer someone's pitch' meaning, 'to spoil someone's plan'.

But over the last many years, 'queer' has come to mean a person who is homosexual: an umbrella term that refers to people of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community, whose sexual or gender identity does not conform to the established norms.

Most of the dictionaries, including Oxford and Collins, qualifies the meaning as informal and even offensive, when it refers to homosexual men. But the word is very much in the mainstream language, and I can see websites dedicated to homosexual content using this word.

Anyway, neither the word nor homosexuality is literally queer, meaning strange. While many people, men and women, have openly declared their sexual preferences, a debate also has raged on social and religious rights and wrong about such preferences.

Section 377 in India

Homosexuality is not a new phenomenon. It's been there for ages. But it was a taboo to talk about it. So such people, preferred rather not to reveal their gender choice, rather than face social isolation or even banishment. While many countries have passed laws making gay marriage legal, there are also countries where it's still a criminal offence.

A couple of days ago, British Prime Minister Theresa May apologised for criminalising gay relationship in Commonwealth nations.

In India, though there has been a lot more acceptance of homosexuality, many are still in the closet. Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, a legacy of colonial British laws, has been a contentious issue. It is still being debated in the courts.

• In July 2009, the Delhi high court struck down Section 377.
• In December 2013, the Supreme Court set aside the Delhi high court verdict.
• The latest is, in January this year, the Supreme Court referred to a larger bench the plea to quash Section 377.

Social evolution

The British PM's apology, and the Supreme Court decision have given hopes to the large community that finally they can be themselves, openly.

Socially, anything that is non-conformist, can lead to tension within that group of people. So the debate and conflict of views is only understandable.

Many social codes that are so common and acceptable today, were once upon a time, a taboo. So what we are seeing is part of the ongoing social evolution. Nothing is the same forever.

Let each of us be what we are, and allow others to be what they are. Live and let live, as the common adage goes.

(This post is a part of the "Blogging from A to Z Challenge April 2018.")