26 June,2019 07:20 AM IST | Mumbai | Dalreen Ramos
If I publicly advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, I am afraid people may think I am gay." A common misconception outlined in the FAQs section of How to be a Great Ally, a manual released by One Future Collective (OFC), a Mumbai-based non-profit organisation in light of Pride Month, sets the conversation straight - whose side are you fighting for, and why do you need to defend something that isn't offensive? Breaking away from these misconceptions gives straight allyship its very definition.
Shruti Venkatesh
The manual, authored by Shruti Venkatesh, the 20-year-old programme director of the Queer Resource Centre at OFC, is a short, comprehensive one that sums up the essence of what it means to be an ally, and a great one, too. First, it makes clear the difference between an ally and a straight ally. While the former may be someone from a dominant group who actively supports the oppressed, the latter is someone who doesn't belong to the LGBTQ+ community but is supportive of them - there can be allies with the community, too.
Speaking about how the free online resource came to be, Venkatesh says, "As pride month was approaching, we saw quite a bit of a spike in social media talk and activity surrounding the LGBTQ+ community. Much of it was great though we saw some bizarre bits of straight pride demands doing the rounds as well. But for the most part, there was too much intention and little action. We wanted to create something that would outlast the temporary euphoria and support shown towards the community by diving into the basics and importance of straight allyship in India."
Venkatesh took about three weeks to complete the manual. Although this is an introductory module of sorts, it will be followed by more technical versions. She has also added hyperlinks and footnotes to online resources - for instance, if you ever wondered what the + sign in LGBTQ+ stood for, the manual guides you to a list of vocabulary definitions. "I believe that often the inaccessibility of resources, be it their language or difficulty level, postpones the process of learning and updating oneself with necessary resources and tools. Which is why this is envisaged primarily as a tool that is easy to read and learn from. I wanted readers to immediately equip themselves with the knowledge of different pronouns, LGBTQ+ organisations, etc. before they even reach the next page," she explains, adding that she owes the simplicity of her research to her straight allies. "I have had the good fortune of having some extremely supportive allies and much of this manual was inspired by the kindness they have shown towards my community."
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An Ally's Guide to Terminology by Movement Advancement Project, a US-based think-tank, sheds light on how using the wrong terms while conversing with someone from the LGBTQ+ community can have a significant impact on them. Take for instance the sentence, "he admitted that he was gay". Here, the word admitted inherently suggests deception or shamefulness. Then, there is also the common practice of using "transgender" as a noun when it's not. It's an adjective, so the next time you find a person calling someone "a transgender", correct them. The manual also presents the context of parenting and adoption - instead of using terms like "adoption by gay couples", call them what they are, "adoption by gay parents".
Log on to www.glaad.org/sites/default/files/allys-guide-to-terminology_1.pdf
Uploaded on Wattpad, an Internet community for readers and writers, by a user named KatieTheRainbow, The LGBTQ+ Handbook is an unofficial guidebook for being queer. "This is not written by a straight person," the writer clarifies. Giving a definition of terms like being bisexual or asexual at the start of each chapter, a list of things one needs to be prepared for is then drawn. In the Amazing Asexuals chapter, for instance, the user states how being asexual comes with the tag of having a purity ring, or being immature, among other misconceptions. Since the writer is bisexual, they also state how people are likely to ask for threesomes. All in all, this manual is an honest take on where the world stands today when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. Wattpad encourages user comments, you can opt to stay notified about when the document is updated.
Log on to www.wattpad.com/story/38617603-the-lgbtq%2B-handbook
Launched by Delhi-based Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, an independent think-tank, as a freely downloadable document, The Law isn't Straight: A Queer Person's Guide to Accessing Rights, serves as an important tool for LGBTQ+ persons to access the legal system. Illustrated by Kruttika Susaria, the contents range from topics pertaining to procuring identification documents like PAN and ration cards, to what one should do if they are accused of an offence. For instance, despite the NALSA judgment of recognising the rights of transgender persons, it is unclear whether transwomen will be able to access the special rights granted to women when they are arrested in practice - being searched by a female officer only, for instance. The manual also includes a sample affadavit and signed undertaking for notifying name/gender change in the Gazette.
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Author speak
You also make a key point about allyship being more than policy. Has the section 377 verdict reshaped allyship in the Indian context in any way?
I must say on 6th September, 2018, I was stunned by the overwhelming amount of non-LGBTQ persons who celebrated the verdict. Of course, such historic judgments do mould mindsets and the extent of allyship in a country. That being said, it's not enough. Such incidents can make people overestimate the amount of progress made by becoming inattentive and negligent to the other continuing struggles of the community. Hence, this in itself becomes a barrier to furthering queer victories. Great allyship involves being mindful and correctly understanding the present scenario of the LGBTQ+ community in India, which needs a massive overhaul and movement towards positive rights - we now need to look beyond decriminalisation and look at healthcare, education and housing based rights, along with stringent laws and measures for persistent discrimination and harassment for LGBTQ persons.
Will the manual also be coupled with onground initiatives?
Yes. This manual is the first step in our larger campaign towards active bystander intervention. This manual will not only serve as a handy facilitation tool queer rights trainings, we've also made it open access to ensure it can reach the widest possible audience. We also plan to introduce physical copies of this manual in school and college libraries as it will be a great resource to develop and learn allyship in a young learning environment. This manual also includes notes on bystander intervention, mainly targeting students on how to deal with a situation involving bullying or harassment of LGBTQ+ persons so that personal action becomes easier to initiate.
Lastly, is there a part 2 of the manual on the cards?
Yes, definitely. We are very excited to take to educational institutions and workplaces. We're currently in the process of looking for supporters and donors who will help us take this to a larger audience.
The rough estimate presented at the World Bank in 2014 is the annual cost of homophobia to India
The estimated LGBTQ+ population in India, according to figures by the Supreme Court of India in 2012
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