Diversity refers to the differences in how people look, how they think and how they behave. It is necessary to acknowledge the fact, especially in the field of Psychology that diversity can stem from any source. These sources could range from ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, physical ability and social class. The manifestation of these differences makes us who we are and also account for the concept of individual differences.
Across cultures there are also diverse ways of eating. For instance, some cultures eat with a knife and fork, while in some other cultures, eating directly with the hand is preferred. Some aspects of diversity are the result of birth, example- sex and ethnicity. While diversity is responsible for bringing about some positive changes like creativity and innovation, it is also responsible for some of the major conflicts that arise between cultures, races etc. Racial discrimination, sexual discrimination and the likes are proof of the same.
Despite these conflicts, there are reasons why diversity is important, especially in the 21st century:
While viewing a problem, it is better to have many perspectives than one and one only so as to broaden the scope of discussion and arrive at better solutions. Bringing together people of varied cultural backgrounds with varied life experiences can bring different perspectives in light.
Interacting with diversity on a daily basis can equip a person to communicate with a variety of population, especially when they do not come from the same background as you. In fact, this is imperative especially in light of the recurrent issues of discrimination based on race. Connecting with someone who comes from a different race or ethnic background broadens one’s horizon and makes one more accepting of others’ opinions and experiences. Promoting diversity is the first step towards tolerance, which can in turn eradicate discrimination. Lastly, experiencing diversity is exciting and eradicates monotony.
Diversity exists everywhere but places where habitants hold stereotypical views about certain groups of people due to their different way of being leads to discriminatory behavior and conflicts. Such behaviors are pervasive and millions of such examples exist from across the globe. The ‘blacks’ in the USA or the Shudras in India have been at the receiving end of such behaviors for many, many years due to their color and caste respectively.
Similarly, in case of sexuality, it has taken years of struggles, protests, campaigns, marches to create a movement for the inclusion of other forms of sexualities. These alternate forms of sexuality are accepted in some parts of the world while they are criminalized or considered nonexistent in others. In India, it has always been a burning question whether or not, alternate sexuality should be decriminalized (Section 377, IPC).
Much of how people view the people from the alternate sexuality community comes from how this issue is represented at various levels of the society. For instance, an LGBT candidate as political representative is an extremely rare phenomenon. Especially in India, to have a gay/lesbian as a political representative would mean a great deal. Likewise, since politicians serve as role models for many, it is imperative to understand their views regarding the LGBT community because that is likely to directly affect masses.
In the education sector, in recent years, the controversy over homosexuality and public education has generated “one of the most publicly volatile and personally threatening debates in our national history” (Harbeck 1992, 1). As a powerful symbol of the tension, the Chancellor of New York City’s school system was forced from office in 1993 largely over plans to implement a “rainbow curriculum” in the elementary grades (Dillon 1993). In the name of fostering tolerance for unconventional families, its teacher’s guide encouraged the inclusion of information about gay and lesbian life. Representation in Media-
The media portrayal of LGBT people refers to the varying and evolving ways in which the media depicts or portrays the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Historically, the portrayal of the LGBT community in media has been negative, reflecting the intolerance for the LGBT community seen in cultures; however, from the 1990s to present day, there has been an increase in the depictions of LGBT individuals, issues, and concerns within mainstream media. The LGBT community has taken an increasingly proactive stand in defining its own culture with a primary goal of achieving an affirmative visibility in mainstream media. This positive portrayal or increased presence of the LGBT community in media has served to increase acceptance and support for the LGBT community and to establish the LGBT community as a norm. Viewing of the LGBT community in a negative light is majorly responsible for the stigma that surrounds them.
Many spheres of life are difficult for these communities including getting employment. Therefore, provisions like Prevention of Employment Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation by EEOC in the USA are important in today’s time especially in India, where we never see a transgender employee anywhere.
If the LGB community were to be represented in a positive light, it is possible that the currently existing stereotypes would not have found place in today’s time and the community would not have had to undergo the struggle that it had to. Everyone needs someone to look up to, someone to believe in. For the LGBT community, especially, fiction is how they escape from reality when they need to. If they had characters they can relate to, maybe they wouldn’t struggle so much with their lives – with coming to terms with who they are. More often than not, eminent personalities on the television become people’s role models. For instance, the ‘coming out’ of Ellen DeGeneres was responsible for giving many a ray of hope. Likewise, the actor Brandon Flynn of ’13 Reasons Why’ fame, came out and in turn, inspired many.
Not only does this representation inspire the likes, but also raises certain amount of awareness which is imperative for the rest of the society so that they become more accepting of this community and their lifestyle. With the growing need to generate positive awareness about such people, many filmmakers and authors have utilized their grand reach to masses in a rather productive way and have made films and authored books that have shed light on such characters. ‘The Miseducation of Cameron Post’ by Emily M. Danforth, ‘Huntress’ by Malinda Lo are few of the many books that have been authored with a gay character as the protagonists. While these authors and filmmakers have attempted to break the shackles of ‘conventional content’, their attempts were not always welcomed. For instance, films like ‘Fire’, ‘Margarita with a straw’ have been responsible for a certain kind of unrest in the fraternity as well as the masses for they highlight the alternate sexuality in a very obvious fashion. These movies have been able to bring to screen facets that are different from how usually this community has come to be represented (e.g. the ‘gay-ish’ movement of the hands) through films especially.
In a study, ‘Queering Bollywood: Alternative Sexualities in Popular Indian Cinema’ by Gayatri Gopinath she has demonstrated with the help of four movies the representation of LGBTs in Indian cinema. She has carved out three dynamics from her observations, each for female homoeroticism, male homoeroticism and cross-gender identifications.
In movies, gay and lesbian characters have more often than not been marginalized and have been seen as supporting characters. A common media representation is to associate gay characters with feminine characteristics and lesbians with masculine characteristics. Over the years, the nature of representation has changed and for the better. Even though it seems we are far from achieving the highest standard of acceptance and breaking the stereotypes, many attempts have been made to take a step in the positive direction. The disturbing side of this issue stands strong for many parts of the world especially India- the prejudice or dislike against homosexuals also known as Homophobia.
In India, homophobia is not witnessed in the same form as is witnessed elsewhere; violent and harmful. The difference here is that people do not acknowledge the presence of homosexuals; therefore, it is easy to overlook any information about them. In recent years, there has been a growing activism of various NGOs and civil society institutions toward mainstreaming sexually minority groups. Such efforts consist of advocating the rights of LGBTs, campaigning against laws that discriminate their rights, seeking public petition for withdrawal of such laws, and efforts to normalize the recognition and acceptance of LGBT identity categories in India. Homosexual behavior is considered a "criminal offence" under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). However, Indian society does acknowledge and tolerate a certain degree of homosexual behavior between consenting adults in private. In fact, it was acknowledged by the Government of India through an affidavit submitted to Delhi High Court in response to a public petition challenging the constitutional validity of IPC 377 that, "the state will turn a blind eye if homosexuality is practiced between two consenting adults in private".
It was not until the 1990s that the phenomenon of “out” LGBTs became visible in India. Confession of one’s sexual identity was not prevalent. The first academic book on Indian homosexuals appeared in 1977 (The World of Homosexuals) written by Shakuntala Devi, which treated homosexuality in a positive light and reviewed socio-cultural and legal situation of homosexuality in India. A trend was observed in late 1980s-India or more specifically in late 1990s, when authors dealing with the subject of homosexuality "came out" with their sexual identity through their writing.
The Indian filmmaking culture has not been able to form a universal opinion about projecting homosexual characters. The first film to openly deal with homosexuality was ‘Fire’ by Deepa Mehta in 1996. It tells a tale of a lesbian relationship that ignites between two people enduring similar problems with their spouses. This film was obviously met with a lot of criticism and one of the explanations propounded by viewers was that the two women became lesbians because their respective spouses rejected them. Cinema is an all-pervasive tool. It has the power to reach out to millions of people together and it is responsible for the rise as well as fall of many conditionings. Therefore, if members of LGBT community get cast as manipulative, negative and fearful characters, it simply augments the existing hatred in the real world. Filmmakers hold supreme responsibility in being sensitive, empathetic and rational while attempting to make films on this community.