Two seemingly simple words that conjure up myriad emotions in some lives – ‘Coming Out’.
For LGBTQIA+ people, coming out is a significant part to claim the right to live with a preferred identity publicly.
Sanam Choudhury, an LGBTQIA+ community member from Assam, recalls her experience, “Coming out is not that difficult today as it was a few years back.” She mentions the constant fear she underwent during that time. However, the immense support from her parents and a few of her relatives eventually led her to live openly and freely.
In a recent survey on sexual orientation conducted by a multinational research firm Ipsos, 3% of the surveyed Indian population identify as homosexual (Including gay and lesbian), 9% identify as bisexual, 1% identify as pansexual, and 2% identify as asexual.
“There might be problems for the people from the LGBTQIA+ community in getting accepted in the society at large. Whining will be of no help. We will need to find solutions,” says Shivalal Gautam, co-founder of Xomonnoy, an LGBTQIA+ organisation from Assam.
Arpana Choudhury (Luku) is another name from the Assam LGBTQIA+ community. Luku felt the need to establish a dialogue between the society and the people from the community and founded Xobdo Foundation, the first registered organization in Assam working for gender and sexual minorities. Luku has been relentlessly working with Xobdo to make marginalised people heard and accepted.
Many individuals like them have been the driving force behind transforming the living standard for the LGBTQIA+ community. These people have been helping people from remote areas.
Pic credit: Xomonnoy
“I feel quite fortunate not having faced any kind of backlash or criticism from society as such,” Luku says. With the team of Xobdo foundation, Luku has been working to spread awareness among the people through various workshops and film screenings in colleges and other spaces.
They have also hosted the first queer film festival in Assam which witnessed an outstanding response. Recently, the district administration approached them to set up a Transgender Welfare Community.
Pic Credit: Xobdo Foundation
According to experts, in matters of acceptance and criticism, Assam is no different from the rest of India. Even after rolling out Section 377, there is still a long way to go, say members of the marginalised communities.
However, individuals like Shivalal and Luku, have made life a bit easier for the LGBTQIA+ community through various support activities like art exhibitions, pride marches, and workshops. They have been striving to spread positive awareness and education among society.
Pic Credit: Xomonnoy
“There is less awareness among the people and that might be the reason there is less criticism or backlash in Assam,” says Apurba Ray, another individual from the LGBTQIA+ community of the state. He adds, “If there are people and organisations educating people positively around it, there is a possibility that the resistance levels could be less.”
According to experts the world is moving towards acceptance of the community. Studies show that some parts of India are slowly inching forward day by day in the progressive direction. However, still, a lot needs to be done, experts say. They point out that it is necessary that tales of positivity spread far and wide. Experts point out that it is heart-warming to see the positivity and determination of the people in the community.
Edited by: Mohammed Sajid