It is said that every form of communication – which includes
art forms and commercial forms of expression – is a reflection of the society,
its structure, mores and aspirations. Commercial forms of communication
encompass advertising, newspapers, TV programmes etc. Art forms: painting,
dancing, music, movies; and most importantly books. Books become the most
important because they cross generations, ages, genders, geographies and
classes. The written word is both, universal and eternal. Given this, there is
a consistent trend in books that is impossible to overlook or ignore.
The last four books I have read are The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri; The
Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert; And the Mountains Echoed by Khalid Hosseini and the young adult
trilogy, Divergent. Jhumpa Lahiri, an
American PIO (Person of Indian Origin), is an acclaimed and much-awarded writer
whose works include The Interpreter of
Maladies and The Namesake.
American
Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love (made
into a movie starring Julia Roberts) is one of the most celebrated books.
Khalid Hosseini is perhaps the best known Afghan writer whose past works are The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns. Young adult as a genre skyrocketed with The Hunger Games trilogy and the Divergent series, by Veronica Roth, is
considered a worthy successor (it is being made into a movie too). Clearly
these are authors of standing and repute writing for audiences spanning
different age and gender groups. All are mainstream.
The one commonality I found in all the books is the presence
and unquestioning acceptance of gays. In Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Lowland the twice-married heroine has a same-sex relationship
that remains her most cherished one. In Elizabeth Gilbert’s The Signature of All Things, the main
protagonist (Alma) falls in love and marries a man who is a closet gay. Most of
Alma’s life and experiences are shaped by her love for this man – without
rancour or horror of his preference. One of the most important characters in
Khalid Hosseini’s And the Mountains
Echoed nurtures a lasting love for his cook cum chauffer cum caretaker,
Nabi. When Nabi realises his employer’s interest in him, neither is he repulsed
nor does he abandon the now-paralysed employer. In Divergent, one of the minor, but respected characters confesses her
attraction towards another person of the same sex.
LGBT is a reality. It is acceptable and accepted. It is not
to be marginalised, mocked, revered or feared. When it is so omnipresent, isn’t
it completely reprehensible to criminalise it? If someone prefers yellow roses
to red, could that be criminalised? Or if they prefer ice cream over cake, is
it criminal? Sexual preference and orientation as a thoroughly personal matter
and no one other than the involved parties have a right to know or comment on
it. The choice to share this information about oneself is individual – and
being privy to this information does not give any outsider a right to pass
judgement on it – much less label the person.
Life is enriched by differences – and time has come to
embrace the rainbow.
Sujata Garimella