LGBTQ Rights & Religion

by Melissa Bheeka

14 February was a big day at NewVIc. There was an event dedicated to healthy relationships and wellbeing but most importantly though, we celebrated love in all its forms and LGBT rights.

NewVIc pride is something that makes me proud (I couldn’t find a better adjective!) of being a student here because it is a safe place where you won’t be discriminated for your sexual orientation. The jolly atmosphere of NewVIc Pride shows the positive attitude of our college towards this subject. Fighting LGBT stigma in schools is the first step towards equality but how do we act when we are outside or at home where our own parents could show signs of homophobia?

One of my classmates noticed the rainbow ribbon on my lanyard and told me she couldn’t wear hers because it’s considered ‘haram’ in Islam. The ribbon sat sadly in her pencil-case and somehow it made me think of the millions of people who have to hide their true identity for the sake of being accepted. I think that there should be an open dialogue between the LGBT community and the different faiths. Something like an open conference with representatives of each religion (e.g. priests and imams) who are ready to discuss this issue with the public. Although there are laws in place that recognise LGBT and allow same sex-marriage (at least for the UK), people can feel excluded from their own community and face the dilemma of embracing their own sexuality or rejecting it for their faith. But there’s also another choice: you keep both of them because they are both part of you and equally important.

From my point of view, God would never force you to be someone else that you are not. You should be true to yourself. Now more than ever people interpret what it’s written to their own advantage so practising our faith in the ‘right’ way has become difficult. You live according to your values and beliefs so only you can know what is right and wrong for you. I remember debating with my mum about her claim that “homosexuals aren’t normal people” and that transgender people were born in the wrong body as a “punishment for sins done in previous lives”. I doubt she changed her mind despite all the reasons I gave her.

The thing is that LGBT hasn’t become an issue until the 20th century so adults have trouble catching up with all this change. People who don’t identify themselves as heterosexual have always existed but they were taught to be ashamed about it. We are talking about equality here and the freedom to love whoever you want - which seem simple things, yet there are people facing life in prison and even death because they dare to fight for these rights. I find this insane, don’t you?

Whether you identify yourself as homosexual or even asexual, I think your sexual orientation should be your own business and no one is entitled to judge you based on that.

I dream of a world where people won’t have to hide their true identity because of their sexuality.

I dream of a world where people won’t have to use the term LGBT anymore because equality would be achieved for all.

I dream of a world where boys and girls are brought up without gender stereotypes so they can choose who they want to become without any pressures.

For these reasons, I wear a rainbow ribbon with pride.