16, Aug 2015

Siblings, Bosses, Teachers Attend Acceptance Meet
It was the second edition of the Acceptance Meet on Saturday , an initia tive of Yaariyan the youth wing of the Humsafar Trust to bring together family , friends, teachers and bosses of those from the LGBT community . And `acceptance’ couldn’t get more bold with a chapter on alternative sexuality unfolding within the walls of a Christian hospital in Bandra.
One of the first to break ice was Bablu who walked up flexing his tattooed biceps and running his fingers through his crew-cut hair. “I wasn’t always like this. I was actually born female,“ he smiled. But today it wasn’t about Bablu, a trans-man. Instead, the spot light was on his roommates, Ajay and Sujit ready to come out as Bablu’s “straight supporters“.
“I was never scared when Bablu first told me. We had a detailed discussion,“ said Ajay .“And I support what one naturally feels than what people try to force them to believe,“ adds Sujit. Yet they do face a challenge. “Bablu has more girlfriends than us!“ they laughed.
The gay community is far more visible compared to even five years ago. Immediate circles, especially friends and family , seem more tolerant as opposed to times when the rainbow flag expressed collective defiance of disapproving families and laws that made being lesbian, gay , bisexual or transgender a shameful thing.