Straight from the heart

Indians have truly come of age. In a good and bad way.
Issues that were, till yesterday, considered taboo are now being openly flaunted. And speculated. This sudden Bohemian attitude has led to mixed reactions among the people here. While some have come to accept and appreciate the frank confessions, others have found it scandalous and completely inappropriate. Nevertheless, rumor mills have been having a field day, with everyone having an opinion on everyone else.

It all started with this guy going open with his alternative orientation. For several conservative people, the revelation suddenly seemed too scandalous. And it triggered a chain reaction, and soon everyone was talking about it. And since gossip mongers usually have the completely uncalled-for tendency to extrapolate, they have been busy speculating about everyone else’s orientation as well. Stereotypes have sprung up overnight, and people have been slotted into these stereotypes. Accordingly, Mr. X is gay and Mr. Y is not.

Incidentally, I was watching this movie “The object of my affection” yesterday on TV, which deals with some similar issues. And I suddenly remembered hearing about this guy in class who approaches people and asks them “Are you gay?” I don’t know his intentions behind this curiosity, and therefore, would not dare to speculate, but so many others have already slotted him into the stereotype for simply being curious. It’s because of this “slotting” that straight people are usually wary of hanging around with gay people.

I too was homophobic, thanks to this incident in Miami when I was accosted by this humongous creature in an elevator, asking for sexual favors. The fact that I had to literally shoo him away left me with a bad impression about all gay people. However, an incident with one of my good friends helped me change my opinion. This friend, engaged and all set to marry, suddenly realized one day that he was gay. It was a tough time for both his fiancée and him to come to terms with this, but they held up really well. For me, the sudden realization that a very good friend of mine was gay felt weird. But gradually, I realized that, despite being gay, he was still the same person that I knew. And that it is ok to have gay people as friends.

Just to set the picture right, I am straight and have absolutely no intention to cross the fence. So if you’re the guy that asks people if they are gay, you better not ask me. The mimic in me feels amused by some of the stereotypical mannerisms that I notice in gay people, but that, in no way, suggests any disrespect towards them.
And I speak “straight” from the heart.