Since it’s the last day of ‘Pride Month’, I want to share something on the theme from Quora, a Question-Answer site.

Somebody requested me to answer a question that went – What do you want to say out loud on the occasion of ‘Pride Month’ 2020?

Here’s my answer from June 19th –

Just yesterday, in view of ‘Pride Month’, I published a list on my blog titled ’10 Nations, 10 Gay Films’. The films are non-tragic and largely feel good movies from 10 different countries.

Now I usually do not promote my blog posts on my social media pages, but I thought maybe I should share the post, considering it’s ‘Pride Month’. But I did think twice before sharing it. Wondering if it could make some people uncomfortable and then thought ‘to hell with them’.

Here’s a screenshot of my conversation with a friend –

Translation of my first message – I have been doing LGBT posts these days and I even shared one or two of them. And I thought ‘should I?’, Since I don’t ever promote my blog posts anyway. But then I would think again ‘it’s all right, if there are any homophobic people on my list, they will un-follow me. Good riddance. But at-least if someone in the closet reads it, they will know they have allies.’

And here is what I want to say out loud to people who may not be a part of the LGBTQ community but are accepting of them – LET THEM KNOW.

It’s important that we talk about it now and then, raise the issue at home, let people know around us that IT IS NOT UNNATURAL. (Homosexuality has been found in animals and it’s just weird about how most ‘educated’ people are not aware of this fact)

I remember getting into an argument with my dad about homosexuality in 2018. I think the topic came up because there was a newspaper lying around that talked of the Indian Supreme Court’s decision of decriminalizing gay sex in India.

Funnily, even boyfriend (now husband) was around at the time of the argument and he nudged me to not argue too much on the topic. I mean obviously it wasn’t my problem right? But I have friends who are gay/lesbians, and I don’t appreciate anybody thinking they are ‘abnormal’ and need to be packed off to correctional facilities.

I know somebody who came out to their parents last year and their folks were horrified and wanted to send them to a ‘reformative centre’. This wasn’t happening in some movie, or in some far off land, this was happening to someone I knew, someone I hung out with. Just heart-breaking.

Small gestures, something as simple as putting up the LGBT flag on our statuses to show that we care and understand, can go a long way in helping someone know that they are not alone in their ordeal. That there are people they can talk to.

So speak up and show you care.