June 13, 2021
JUNE: THE LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH
Hello beautiful humans, you know what's special about this month, June? You must've come across rainbow flags, glitters, and hashtags on the internet. Let's find out more about this.
June is celebrated as the ‘Gay Pride Month’ in many parts of the world, we celebrate the LGBTQ community. It is celebrated in this particular month to honour the 1969 Stonewall Uprising held in Manhattan and it was a pivotal moment in the history of the gay liberation movement.
The people belonging to the LGBTQ community were outcasted from society for a long period, public display of affection by the gay community was considered illegal, they were harassed at schools, colleges, and workplaces. Their bars and other workplaces were routinely raided and the shop owners also harassed them. They were mentally and physically harassed just because they appeared “different”, they were not “allowed” to live out their lives their way. In other words, they were punished for falling in love and were considered criminals for yearning to have a life with someone of their choice! Isn’t this the worst form of crime, punishing a person for love !?
As responsible humans, we should make the earth a safe space for all beings. Times are now even more difficult for all the marginalized communities amid the global pandemic. But we can still work towards bettering the world around us and in the case of the LGBTQ community by UNLEARNING HOMOPHOBIA. And you know how we can do that? By educating ourselves about ‘The Pride’, increasing our indulgences for beliefs/practices which differ from our own. Here are a few irreplaceable terms, we all need to be aware of
1. Sex: It refers to the biological differences based on the primary sexual characteristics (genitalia) and the chromosomes that individuals are born with. It is assigned at birth. This includes male, female, and intersex. Intersex is people whose anatomy does not align with the male and female.
2. Gender: It is a social construct, it refers to the division of humans by characteristics and beliefs of women, men, boys, and girls. Since it is a social construct, it can vary from society to society.
3. Gender Identity: It refers to our perception of self, it is what we feel we are - it may or may not be the same as the sex assigned to us at birth. Since it is what we feel we are, it can be male, female, or neither.
Any individual may identify themselves as
4. Cisgender: When the gender identity and personal identity correspond with their birth sex.
5. Transgender (trans): People whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be at birth.
6. Non-binary: These are individuals who do not identify with the sex assigned at birth and they feel that sense of self goes beyond genders.
Now you must've seen people putting she/her or he/him or they/them in bios. These are called pronouns.
7. Pronouns: We put them up because it prevents being misgendered and many people out there do not have the same gender as it appears, physically or by name. If someone's gender identity is male they use he/him/his, if it's female then she/her/hers and if they're non-binary they/them/theirs.
Sexuality is the emotional and sexual attraction to one or more gender(s). One can be attracted to one, two, or no gender at all.
8. Heterosexual: Attraction to individuals of the opposite sex. Often referred to as "straight".
9. Homosexual: Attraction to individuals of one's own sex. This includes "gays" and "lesbians".
10. Bisexual: Attraction of individuals of either sex.
11. Asexual: Attraction to neither of the sexes.
These are just major umbrella terms, there's more to sexuality, you can always look it up on the internet if you wish to explore.
June is celebrated as the ‘Gay Pride Month’ in many parts of the world, we celebrate the LGBTQ community. It is celebrated in this particular month to honour the 1969 Stonewall Uprising held in Manhattan and it was a pivotal moment in the history of the gay liberation movement.
The people belonging to the LGBTQ community were outcasted from society for a long period, public display of affection by the gay community was considered illegal, they were harassed at schools, colleges, and workplaces. Their bars and other workplaces were routinely raided and the shop owners also harassed them. They were mentally and physically harassed just because they appeared “different”, they were not “allowed” to live out their lives their way. In other words, they were punished for falling in love and were considered criminals for yearning to have a life with someone of their choice! Isn’t this the worst form of crime, punishing a person for love !?
As responsible humans, we should make the earth a safe space for all beings. Times are now even more difficult for all the marginalized communities amid the global pandemic. But we can still work towards bettering the world around us and in the case of the LGBTQ community by UNLEARNING HOMOPHOBIA. And you know how we can do that? By educating ourselves about ‘The Pride’, increasing our indulgences for beliefs/practices which differ from our own. Here are a few irreplaceable terms, we all need to be aware of
1. Sex: It refers to the biological differences based on the primary sexual characteristics (genitalia) and the chromosomes that individuals are born with. It is assigned at birth. This includes male, female, and intersex. Intersex is people whose anatomy does not align with the male and female.
2. Gender: It is a social construct, it refers to the division of humans by characteristics and beliefs of women, men, boys, and girls. Since it is a social construct, it can vary from society to society.
3. Gender Identity: It refers to our perception of self, it is what we feel we are - it may or may not be the same as the sex assigned to us at birth. Since it is what we feel we are, it can be male, female, or neither.
Any individual may identify themselves as
4. Cisgender: When the gender identity and personal identity correspond with their birth sex.
5. Transgender (trans): People whose gender identity is different from the gender they were thought to be at birth.
6. Non-binary: These are individuals who do not identify with the sex assigned at birth and they feel that sense of self goes beyond genders.
Now you must've seen people putting she/her or he/him or they/them in bios. These are called pronouns.
7. Pronouns: We put them up because it prevents being misgendered and many people out there do not have the same gender as it appears, physically or by name. If someone's gender identity is male they use he/him/his, if it's female then she/her/hers and if they're non-binary they/them/theirs.
Sexuality is the emotional and sexual attraction to one or more gender(s). One can be attracted to one, two, or no gender at all.
8. Heterosexual: Attraction to individuals of the opposite sex. Often referred to as "straight".
9. Homosexual: Attraction to individuals of one's own sex. This includes "gays" and "lesbians".
10. Bisexual: Attraction of individuals of either sex.
11. Asexual: Attraction to neither of the sexes.
These are just major umbrella terms, there's more to sexuality, you can always look it up on the internet if you wish to explore.
Author: Annapoorna Nair | Publisher: Kosha Life
2 comments
Such beautifully written, informative blog, truly lovely ❤️ Looking forward to read more content like this, authentic and bold 🙌
Deepti
June 14, 2021
It was an informative and enriching read💛💛✨
Ambily Sabu
June 14, 2021
