A LAB JOURNAL OF THE PG STUDENTS OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATION COMMUNIQUE CONCERN, COMPASSION, CONSCIENCE VOLUME -11; ISSUE - 01 ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS) July 2019 The month of June is The rainbow spectrum explained celebrated as “Pride Month” during which rainbow flags, Ankita Roy sexuality along with it being a very request to create it from the first Director of Swabhava Trust – hats, shoes, and more come intimate aspect, is also a necessity openly gay U.S. politician, Harvey regarding the need to have separate out in full force across the exuality, or sexual as it grooms a person’s psychology. Milk. flags for every sub-community globe. Cities all around the orientation is a spectrum; Hayley Kiyoko, informally History recalls the first ever that fall under the LGBTQIA+, he world host Pride marches, Snot of colours or sexual titled Lesbian Jesus –who once rainbow flag to consist of eight said, “The LGBTQIA+ movement brands launch Pride identities but of experiences and sang “girls like girls like boys do, colours, each representing it’s own replicates some of the divisions collections, and social media learnings. nothing new,” held open the doors significance; hot pink for sex, red that our usual, conforming society platforms release special The golden rule to first study the for more queer artists to create and for life, orange for healing, yellow enforces upon us. It is necessary spirited features that get users LGBTQIA+ community is to never write songs that make the not-so- for sun, green for serenity with to challenge them and ensure that and influencers creating and forget that there is a whole history straight hearts feel giddy. nature, turquoise for art, indigo the larger community recognises sharing. of lives in repression when we for harmony, and violet for spirit. the many more identities that run in Pride isn’t just a chance discuss the queer community. Why do we use the rainbow, However, a sad fortune followed minority.” for brands to join the For the majority of the members you might ask? as two of the colours were striked Let us delve in a little deeper conversation; it’s a chance belonging to the LGBTQIA+ off due to the lack of fabric, thus to understand what exactly the for them to market for community, it was hiding their It all began with no more than leaving the current rainbow flag LGBTQIA+ stands for. The good. As hashtags, contests, sexual orientation in order to fit in two people- an artist named Gilbert with six colours. initialism itself is not merely a Instagram posts, stories, the society’s norms and traditions, Baker by day, and “Busty Ross” On an interview with Vinay combination of letters that represent videos, livestreams, and or to safeguard their life by not by drag queens, who of course, Chandran, peer counsellor at identities, rather, every letter has more surround the events and coming out. Being aware of one’s designed the flag, and a keen Sahaya Helpline and the Executive it’s own history embodied. festivitiesPride isn’t just a chance for brands to join the conversation; it’s a chance Label us correct: defining LGBTQQIAAP for them to market for good. es, that is the current who are drawn physically and to label themselves as anything else men and women who support the acronym which hides emotionally to people of same and/ confidently without being sure. community, gay rights, and the Continued in page 6 Ybehind the ‘+’ in the or different genders at some point members. They are the ‘allies’ of our LGBTQIA+, because, let’s face it, during their lives. A very common cold war between the LGBTQIA+ it is a mouthful, and one wouldn’t misconception people tend to make community and homophobia. Film and television are want to sound rude if, perhaps because of the word ‘bi’ is that they greatly influential in shaping one forgets one of the letters. As limit the members of this heavily attitudes and concepts of mentioned earlier, every letter has diverse group to be attracted to only commoners in the Indian a significant element of history and two sexes or genders. It usually I –another sect of people whom scenario. This influence a subtle amount of struggle etched refers to those who are attracted to we tend to misunderstand, tease, P – definitely not the last letter ranges from the concept to itself. more than one gender on the gender ignore, and sometimes bully. These of the acronym, but the ‘P’ is the of fashion and food habits binary of male and female. members are those who identify short-form of a free and accepting to religious practices and themselves as ‘intersex’; the ones spirit that is capable to love beyond political affiliation. It is from who are born with reproductive two genders and sexes. These are this ground that we attempt body parts that typically do not the members of the ‘pansexual’ to discuss the portrayal of L – The ‘L’ stands for Lesbian/ fit the definition that determine a community who disregard gender the transgender in the Indian lesbianism, stemming from the T –we see them, we tease person as male or female. as a barrier when it comes to falling media, as their representation Greek island of Lesbos where the them, we ignore them; they are head over heels in love. in film and television shapes famous poet Sappho, with her the members of the ‘transgender’ the attitude of the Indian lyrically written poems gave birth community. Not to be mistaken Thus, when we talk about society towards them. to the idea of women being in love with ‘transsexuals’ (this term is sexuality, know that it is Bollywood avoided with women. Therefore, a lesbian is for those who go through surgical A –literally the aliens of the unimaginably difficult to simply transgender characters right a woman who is attracted to other transition across the gender binary community; jokes aside, these are sort everyone into houses of red, women – more than just wanting after confirming what gender the people most of us believe do blue, green, and yellow. Our sexual Continued in page 3 to be like them, and wanting to be they identify as) Transgenders are not exist, hence the alien term. The orientation is the history that we with them. people who discern themselves as ‘asexual’ tier, however is proud carry on our shoulders in the hopes anything that defies gender norms. to present many of its residents. to make a safer space for our future Sukanyeah Krishna is a 23 In other words, when a person These residents do not wish to be queer generations, and as every year old transgender who is who is born as a male biologically, or are, in a sexual manner, attracted pride month passes by each year, one of the most prominent identifies as a woman from within, to anyone. Although confusing may we never forget what roles faces of LGBTQ community G – If there was a three lettered ‘he’ would then likely to be referred them with being unromantic will the elders of the queer community in Bangalore. She left Kerala word that tried to ensemble the to as ‘she’, and vice versa. probably be a misjudgement of a performed to give us what we have in 2013 when she was 17 entire community, it would be the character, regardless the absence today and to move forward. years old and moved to word ‘gay’. The letter ‘G’ represents of their sexual interest. Other “Everyone chooses their own Bangalore and has since a very diverse population, not just subsections of asexuals include journey, and identity based been living here. She did her for men who are attracted to men. demisexuals, and aromantic journeys are fraught with many schooling till class 10 and Historically, the word ‘gay’ was Q – the ‘queer’ or ‘gender non- members. personal difficulties, struggles, and currently works as a web used as a broad term to encompass conforming’, the one with countless various emotional upheavals. No developer. the entire initialism of the modern facets. It is the safe space for one to one gets to label another person and She is a social activist, LGBTQIA+ community and other explore their sexuality, to question determine their personal identity actress, blogger, and also sexual minorities. and find oneself, and sometimes based on assumptions.”, Vinay a person with big dreams even to lose oneself. This is the Chandran concluded. for her community. She letter that defies all that seems Nevertheless, it goes without is currently working on conforming, and cornering. saying that our sexual orientation is different projects. Q –members who fall into this A – the cheerleaders of the a part of the collective of who we B –The most stereotypically subsection of queer people are the entire community, per se. These are, our identity is linked to self- Continued in page 7 envied sexual orientation of all, ones who are ‘questioning’ their people are the cisgender, or for identification and is not dependent the Bisexuals. These are the people sexual identity, and who do not wish the lack of smarter term, ‘straight’ on public perception. 02 COMMUNIQUE July 2019 50 years of Pride-its origin and importance Vani Vinod private shame to public pride,” said Vinay Chandran, Executive croll through any social media Director of Swabhava Trust, an platform throughout June NGO that offers support services Sand you will find ubiquitous to LGBT people. After this presence of the rainbow pride flag, incident, Pride month is celebrated which represents the LGBTQIA+ worldwide in the month of June community.