How Free Are Individuals To Have Their Own Sexual Preference?
The sexual preference of an individual has always been regarded as a sensitive issue. Yet nowadays, with youth taking bolder steps to support individual choices, a wind of change is certainly blowing. Moreover with people like Sabyasachi Satpathy, Indroneel Mukherjee and many others setting examples by being proud of their sexual choices, homosexuals are getting the motivation to accept themselves in front of the world.
In one of the most controversial shows, Bigg Boss, contestant Sabyasachi Satpathy from Odisha had declared, “I am gay and not a bisexual.” What followed were praises for him for being brave enough to share such a secret on national television. In fact, Sabyasachi was the first person from Odisha to accept his sexual orientation publicly years back in 2000 on an International television show, CNN World Wide Millennium Show. Back then, he had expressed that he felt like committing suicide and ending his life felt like the best option for him. According to Sabyasachi, “Being gay has now become like a style statement for the teenagers. A person needs to know himself well, accept his orientation and preferences before coming out to the world.” 
Picture: Sabyasachi Satpathy
Whenever the question arises of dealing with sexual orientation Fashion Designer and LGBTQI active supporter Indroneel Mukherjee is quick to respond, “I Love Men.” He firmly believes in the fact that pretending and trying to be someone you’re not doesn’t help in the long run. Accepting and loving yourself for what you are is the most important part!
Picture: Indroneel Mukherjee
“I knew from a very young age that I like men and I have no shame in being gay. The very moment I became self dependent, I came out to the world, because I am proud of being what I am and my sexual preference.” quoted Indroneel.
While Sabyasachi got all the support for his individual choice, there are times even in this digital world, when something is misinterpreted in the name of sexual orientation.
Like when Mishti Mitra, a 19-year-old-student posted a picture on her social media where she was seen smooching another girl during an LGBT walk, her choice was questioned! Even when she has been into a serious relationship with a boy! Mishti, a dancer, model, an aspiring actress and also an active supporter of the LGBTQI for the last 3 years said, “Believe me, I am straight! Being totally straight I have never hesitated to kiss a girl or post that picture on my social media accounts because it has been way of showing the divine feeling shared by homosexuals.”
Picture: Mishti Mitra
Even if Government protects the right of homosexuals, it’s the society which stops them from coming to the forefront. The normalisation of same-sex attraction, including “same-sex marriage,” has reconfigured the global landscape of sexual ethics. Still in our society, we find that people treat homosexuality as if it is a disease and feel it is something to be ashamed of.
We believe that the sexual preference of a person depends entirely on them, and a person should not be forced to change their sexual choices. Gay people who want to be straight should have the right to change, if they can – and the correct word is “change” – not “cure”, because it’s not a disease.
Yet this ‘change’ can turn into disapproval for many. “Telling my family that I am different and that I am practicing the same gender role brought me immense disapproval. The process was not easy. I didn’t accept I was gay until I was 20 years old. I never faced any problems from anyone, as I was never outwardly flamboyant or feminine-acting in public,” says a young man residing in Bhubaneswar. Not willing to be named, he further mentioned that at first his mother didn’t agree to his choice and refused to speak to him for two years, but now she’s has come to terms with it.
Homosexuals face grave dangers of discrimination for the simple reason that their views, beliefs or way of life do not accord with the mainstream. Yet in a democratic Constitution, their rights are as sacred as those conferred on other citizens-; they are no different from the heterosexuals.
Arumita Mitra, the youngest student leader and one of the 10 most influential women student leaders of India talks about her male friend being harassed and catcalled by his classmates for being effeminate and for having an attraction towards cosmetics “The society which is upholding gender heteronormativity does not entail the inclusion of various genders we have. It is very important for us to break binaries. Equality and economic opportunities is the right of every human irrespective of his sexual preferences.”
Picture: Arumita Mitra
Homophobia is something that encompasses a range of negative and hostile behaviour such as discrimination and violence on the basis of sexual orientations that are non-heterosexual.
“I am straight. I was friends with a guy who was gay and was from a small town. We used to hang-out together once a week. He used to suffer from the fact of being not accepted by the society well and suddenly one day the news of his suicide broke out. Given his homophobic ‘surroundings’ I knew he was victimized by gay-bashing. But what made it worse was that when the story broke out in the local media; his family had altered the news to make his death sound like a result of peer pressure. They didn’t want the society to know he was gay and he committed this out of the remorse of not being accepted. They were ashamed of the sexual orientation of their own son and wanted to hide this side of his so much that they ended up blaming his college and his seniors for this unfortunate incident,” says entrepreneur Riya Saha. She adds on that a little support from parents and family can save the life of many who face homophobia.
Picture: Riya Saha
Well, the road of life is never smooth. As Robin Sharma says, “Change is hard at first, messy in the middle, gorgeous at the end.”