This post has a fictional prologue, which you may want to read here : http://rohan-chawla.blogspot.in/2012/11/from-me-to-you.html?m=1
Apologies first for making you travel between blogs. This is the first time I have made an inter-blog connection. But the reason is simple. The post had two distinct parts - the fictional and the critical, and it would've been exceptionally long if it were clubbed into one.
Now for my thoughts. I don't know if you noticed, but that love filled letter was from Carol to Susan (No originality, I know). It was between a homosexual couple. The reason why I wrote that was because I felt that there is something wrong in the way we perceive the world. I don't know if it is just me, but if I read a love letter that was addressed to Susan, I would think automatically that her lover is a guy and its his wonderful words that are written there.
Disclaimer : Please note that this post has been written under the premise that homosexuality is okay and acceptable. If you have an issue with that, this is not the post you are looking for.
So many times I have been asked, if I have a girl-friend. I don't have a problem with that question, because my life is an open blog, which a few people read. But my problem is that you completely ignore the possibility of me being a homosexual. You would now say, that sometimes people ask the wrong question (they might ask you what your parents do, but what if you are an orphan); so this whole thing is just making a mountain out of a molehill. The issue is not of the wrong question. You assumed that I had a partner, that's fine. But after that you made a second assumption. The more accepted one - that my partner is a woman.
But the bias is worse in certain cases. While the former mistake is made under the assumption that you are straight (and not "crooked"?), sometimes you're assumed to be gay. And that assumption is based on your voice (shriek-y or hoarse), the way you dress (colourful or plain), what you decide to talk about (gossip or politics), your nature (kind or indifferent) and what you like to do (blog or wrestle). There are no behavioural characteristics of being a homosexual. Neil Harris from How I Met Your Mother is homosexual. Jane Lynch from Glee is homosexual. Faces don't have homo written on them.
But the worst bias comes when you stand up for homosexual rights. If you support gay rights, then you are definitely gay. If you are homophobic, then you are a closet homosexual. Heads you win, Tails you win. Some of us after reading this post, will think at least once if the author is a homosexual or not? That's probably the greatest reason why heterosexuals don't fully support homosexuals; they don't want to be thought of as homosexual, as if they are one of "them".
And that is the real tragedy. That somehow being gay is something to be ashamed of. That if someone thought you were gay, it was in someway a bad thing. Like it was an insult thrown at you. Something that you had to defend and clear up for. That being homosexual was just not acceptable. All this, despite the fact that you're well read, that homosexuality is no longer a crime and that more and more people around you are coming out of the closet.
I think I need to calm down. So here is the peaceful part of me. Times are changing and we need to pause for a while, and think how we see this world. Do we see it from our eyes, from our parents eyes, from the society's eyes? Why do we judge people and what criteria do we use? Are we fair in our approach? Do we just say things in jest but believe them sub-consciously?
When you see someone who is different - by race, by gender, by built, by sexuality, by name, by thoughts, by speech, by faith - do you get repulsed? Do you change in someway? And, is that change for the better? Is it the right thing to do?
Are we one people deserving one treatment?
Since my life is an open blog, I'll start the answering. I'm not too sure how liberal I am to people's choices, but I believe that people are indeed not very smart but they aren't always sheep either. They have reasons for what they do, even if it takes them time to find those reasons. And I think I am no one to question them, as long as they have a reason. Think before you act.
We are one people. I hope we can give ourselves one treatment.
Thank you for listening.
Here listen to this wonderful song and cheer up (first time on Jibber Jabber) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWzeInQaUk4
Thank you Bowie for the wonderful title.
Apologies first for making you travel between blogs. This is the first time I have made an inter-blog connection. But the reason is simple. The post had two distinct parts - the fictional and the critical, and it would've been exceptionally long if it were clubbed into one.
Now for my thoughts. I don't know if you noticed, but that love filled letter was from Carol to Susan (No originality, I know). It was between a homosexual couple. The reason why I wrote that was because I felt that there is something wrong in the way we perceive the world. I don't know if it is just me, but if I read a love letter that was addressed to Susan, I would think automatically that her lover is a guy and its his wonderful words that are written there.
Disclaimer : Please note that this post has been written under the premise that homosexuality is okay and acceptable. If you have an issue with that, this is not the post you are looking for.
So many times I have been asked, if I have a girl-friend. I don't have a problem with that question, because my life is an open blog, which a few people read. But my problem is that you completely ignore the possibility of me being a homosexual. You would now say, that sometimes people ask the wrong question (they might ask you what your parents do, but what if you are an orphan); so this whole thing is just making a mountain out of a molehill. The issue is not of the wrong question. You assumed that I had a partner, that's fine. But after that you made a second assumption. The more accepted one - that my partner is a woman.
But the bias is worse in certain cases. While the former mistake is made under the assumption that you are straight (and not "crooked"?), sometimes you're assumed to be gay. And that assumption is based on your voice (shriek-y or hoarse), the way you dress (colourful or plain), what you decide to talk about (gossip or politics), your nature (kind or indifferent) and what you like to do (blog or wrestle). There are no behavioural characteristics of being a homosexual. Neil Harris from How I Met Your Mother is homosexual. Jane Lynch from Glee is homosexual. Faces don't have homo written on them.
But the worst bias comes when you stand up for homosexual rights. If you support gay rights, then you are definitely gay. If you are homophobic, then you are a closet homosexual. Heads you win, Tails you win. Some of us after reading this post, will think at least once if the author is a homosexual or not? That's probably the greatest reason why heterosexuals don't fully support homosexuals; they don't want to be thought of as homosexual, as if they are one of "them".
And that is the real tragedy. That somehow being gay is something to be ashamed of. That if someone thought you were gay, it was in someway a bad thing. Like it was an insult thrown at you. Something that you had to defend and clear up for. That being homosexual was just not acceptable. All this, despite the fact that you're well read, that homosexuality is no longer a crime and that more and more people around you are coming out of the closet.
I think I need to calm down. So here is the peaceful part of me. Times are changing and we need to pause for a while, and think how we see this world. Do we see it from our eyes, from our parents eyes, from the society's eyes? Why do we judge people and what criteria do we use? Are we fair in our approach? Do we just say things in jest but believe them sub-consciously?
When you see someone who is different - by race, by gender, by built, by sexuality, by name, by thoughts, by speech, by faith - do you get repulsed? Do you change in someway? And, is that change for the better? Is it the right thing to do?
Are we one people deserving one treatment?
Since my life is an open blog, I'll start the answering. I'm not too sure how liberal I am to people's choices, but I believe that people are indeed not very smart but they aren't always sheep either. They have reasons for what they do, even if it takes them time to find those reasons. And I think I am no one to question them, as long as they have a reason. Think before you act.
We are one people. I hope we can give ourselves one treatment.
Thank you for listening.
Here listen to this wonderful song and cheer up (first time on Jibber Jabber) : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWzeInQaUk4
Thank you Bowie for the wonderful title.