Paper No. : Women, Media and Films Module : LGBT in Films Development Team Principal Investigator Prof. Sumita Parmar Allahabad University, Allahabad Paper Coordinator Prof. Sisir Basu Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi Content Writer Mehrazun Neesa Haque ,Banaras Hindu University,Varanasi Prof. Sisir Basu Content Reviewer 1 Description of Module Subject Name Women’s Studies Paper Name Women, Media and Films Module LGBT in Films Name/Title Module Id Paper 10, Module 23 Pre-requisites The reader is expected to have the knowledge of how LGBT is being portrayed in Indian cinema Objectives To make the readers aware about the nuances of LGBT, how it is depicted in cinema and the changing times. Keywords LGBT, Homosexuals, Alternative sexuality, homophobia, films, directors, controversies 1. Objectives This module is designed to introduce to you the issues related to alternative sexuality which comprises all that falls under the categories of lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender (LGBT) and the way Indian cinema portrays them. Since Indian cinema just completed a century of existence, it provides you the great opportunity and offers a wide spectrum to analyse and perceive how LGBT have been portrayed over time. 2. Introduction The module, LGBT in Films, will brief you regarding the term LGBT and the prejudice against sexual minorities in films as well in the society. The module will also help you to understand the changing perspective regarding this community and the recognition in society.The term alternative sexuality has been used to cater to the broader area of sexuality where people are discriminated against because of their sexual identity/orientation or gender identity. This includes gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender.In the last module, you got to know about the male gaze and how it is depicted in films. Let us now discuss different themes related to this topic. 3. LGBT in Indian Cinema :An overview In the west, with the arrival of the birth control pill in 1960, the sexual revolution started and some of the effects of the change found slanted reflections in popular culture. However, for the wave to hit the Indian shores, where cinema was still bound by 2 Victorian Puritanism, it took another decade. In the 70s, the true representation of the alternate sexuality came in Indian Cinema. In Hollywood, the depiction of sexual minorities started with the 1931 film 'Manhattan Parade' whereas Indian films waited another 40 years to even hint at homosexuality. Let us understand the term LGBT first before we move on to discuss as to how filmmakers treated the alternate sexuality on celluloid. a. LGBT-Meaning Sexual minorities are a group whose sexual identity, orientation or practices differ from the majority of the surrounding society1. Generally, sexual minorities comprise lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT). We are going to use the term LGBT instead of sexual minorities as there are few objections regarding the use of sexual minorities by the people of this community in various situations. L stands for Lesbian who is female homosexual: a female who experiences romantic love or sexual attraction to other females. The term lesbian is also used to express sexual identity or sexual behavior regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate nouns with female homosexuality or same-sex attraction.2 Nowadays majority of lesbians prefer to be called lesbians rather than gays. G stands for Gay- male who is attracted romantically, sexually and/or emotionally to another male. Although the word gay can be used for any sex (e.g. gay man, gay woman, gay person, bisexual) but many women prefer to be called “lesbian” and gay people in majority don't like to be referred to as homosexuals because of the negative historical association with the word. Moreover, the word gay better reflects their identity. B stands for Bisexual, who is romantically, sexually and/or emotionally attracted to people of their own gender and another gender. T stands for Transgender which is an umbrella term used to describe people whose gender identity (internal feeling of being male, female or transgender) and/or gender expression, differs from that usually associated with their birth sex3. Many transgender people live part-time or full-time in another gender. Some transgender 1 Suresh Bada Math* and Shekhar P. Seshadri, The invisible ones: Sexual minorities, Indian J Med Res. 2013 Jan; 137(1): 4–6. (Retrieved on 02.07.2015) 2 Committee on Lesbian Health Research Priorities, Neuroscience and Behavioral Health Program, Health Sciences Policy Program, Health Sciences Section, Institute of Medicine (1999). Lesbian Health: Current Assessment and Directions for the Future. National Academies Press. p. 22. ISBN 0309174066. (Retrieved on 02.07.2015) 3 International + LGBT at the University of Michigan LGBT Terms and Definitions ( Retrieved on 01.07.2015) 3 people feel they exist not within one of the two standard gender categories, but rather somewhere between, beyond, or outside of those two genders4. Transgender people can be identified as transsexuals, transvestites or another gender identity.5 After getting to know about LGBT people, let us now find out what the government and judiciary have been doing to improve their status and to increase the acceptance of these groups in societies across the world On 26th June 2015, the US Supreme Court legalized the same sex marriage across the country. The US Supreme Court declared that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the country, in a culmination of two decades of litigation over marriage, and gay rights generally. On Twitter, the US president Barack Obama welcomed the decision calling it "a big step in our march toward equality" In India, homosexuality is a taboo that still prevails but initiatives are being taken by the judiciary as well as the Parliament to change its condition. On 15th April, 2014; the Apex Court (Supreme Court) in India created the "third gender" status for transgender. They were forced to write male or female against their gender earlier. The court clarified that its verdict pertains only to eunuchs and not other sections of society like gays, lesbians and bisexuals who are also considered under the umbrella term 'transgenders'6. With this landmark decision, India becomes the first country to recognize transgenders as the third gender. The Supreme Court also added that the third gender people would be considered as OBCs and would be given educational and employment reservation as OBCs. 4 LGBT Helpline http://www.lgbt.ie/information.aspx?contentid=84 (Retrieved on 02.07.2015) 5 LGBT Helpline http://www.lgbt.ie/information.aspx?contentid=84 (Retrieved on 01.07.2015) 6 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Supreme-Court-recognizes-transgenders-as-third- gender/articleshow/33767900.cms (Retrieved on 02.07.2015) 4 Image Source: i.ndtvimg.com/mt/2014-04/transgenders_360.jpg The Supreme Court brought into focus as to how police and other authorities had been misusing Section 377 against the community. Section 377 of Indian Penal Code ; Unnatural offences.—Whoever voluntarily has carnal inter•course against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine. Explanation.—Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offence described in this section.7 There were several steps taken for the rights of gays and lesbians in 2009 by Delhi High Court, but the Supreme Court ruled it out. This was opposed by many people and Bollywood in common. Several revolutionary steps taken by people in the recent times to promote awareness about gay and lesbian rights indicate that in future, things will change for better for these communities. As we are dealing with women, media and films, we will focus more on the portrayal of lesbians compared to transgenders, bisexuals and gays as feminism is the spotlight of this course. Now we will discuss how cinema has projected this community over the years. b. Indian Cinema’s relationship with LGBT Homophobia is prevalent in India8. LGBT community often faces a tremendous amount of hostility and exclusion and discrimination in various parts of the society. However, after the steps taken by the government and judiciary in recent years, the outlook 7 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_377_of_the_Indian_Penal_Code (Retrieved on 02.07.2015) 8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_in_India (Retrieved on 02.07.2015) 5 towards the community seems to have changed slightly. In mainstream and alternative cinema of India, currently the LGBT are being depicted in positive manner. Traditionally, mainstream cinema adopted an attitude of dissent, mockery, sarcasm, comic and criminal towards LGBT community where as alternative cinema (confined to film festivals and a handful selected group of viewers) depicted them in more realistic manner and was successful in raising, expressing and suggesting possible solutions to their problems in a more effective manner as compared to the mainstream cinema. Nowadays, depiction of and discussion on LGBT in the Indian news media and Indian cinema have increased and this growing awareness is also trying to change the mindset of people towards them. In Indian cinema, transgenders were shown in the form of eunuchs. The cinema generally showed eunuchs invading homes of women, who had given birth to a male son. A few films tried to focus on the conflicts and politics of their colonized living. It is now quite trendy to read Bollywood films as 'gay' or 'queer'. Hoshang Merchant mentions the Andaz (1949) and Sangam (1964) love triangles where the real love plot is friendship between the two heroes. The female lead is there only to lessen the homosexual sting9.