Battling norms, Dutee Chand opens up about her same-sex relationship
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India has always been a traditional and conservative nation, as far as the social and cultural norms are concerned. However, the last few years have seen a rise in the number of positive social reforms. Penalty for rape has been increased, juveniles are tried as adults in severe cases and the recognition of transgender as the third gender. One such equally progressive reform has been the Supreme Court judgment on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. By the said judgment same-sex relationships were decriminalized in saving for the LGBTQ community.
Dutee Chand is a well-known name in our country. The sprinter who won medals at the Asian Games had to face a lot of trials prior to becoming this well-known name. Being a sportsperson is a difficult job in our country between poor availability of resources and a high level of corruption in the bureaucracy.
For her, the climb became even more difficult when she was forced into gender testing and was diagnosed with a rare condition by the name of hyperandrogenism. Due to which the amount of male sex hormones produced by her body is higher than the usual amount in females. Hence, she was prohibited from participating under the International Association of Athletics Federation. It was after a ruling in her favor by the Court of Arbitration that she was allowed to participate.
The journey has not been easy for Dutee Chand but her salvation was her perseverance and determination. Her journey has been an inspiring one. And now, she inspires even more people every day, as she comes out into the public about being in the same-sex relationship.
India’s first openly Homosexual Athlete
In an interview given to a leading daily newspaper, she opened up about being in the same relationship with a woman from her rural village. She said, “The Supreme Court verdict has been like a fresh air for us. It has reinforced what we always say: nobody should judge us for who we want to be with and who we love. It’s a very personal choice. I am not hurting anyone. After the verdict, we felt empowered to come out in public. We felt it was time the world knew.”
Speaking about her partner, she said, “She doesn’t want to be out in public. I respect her wishes. I am used to this limelight but she isn’t and I don’t want her to be bothered by this attention.” Speaking on how they met, she said, “We met because she wanted to be a sportsperson too and she came up to me for advice. Over the years we grew close. She is the most important person to me.”
Being a homosexual in our nation is not always welcome news. And being open about it in the sports community is a rarity, not just in India but also around the world.
The backlash from the family
Reports have come out that Dutee Chand’s family has not responded well to her coming out. She has spoken up about her sister’s threat of disowning her. Further, there are also reports according to which her mother has also refused to accept her relationship. Her mother reportedly at that time told her sister and even tried to go to the KIIT University to speak to her faculty and coaches.
Further, in comments made to Times of India, Dutee said, “My older sister has threatened to throw me out of the house. She did the same with my brother because she didn’t like his wife. But I did not want to go down to her. I am an adult. She can do what she wants. But I wanted to make this public for two reasons. It is nothing wrong and I am not ashamed of it. I proudly say I am in a same-sex relationship.
Recent reports by ANI have also revealed that Dutee’s coming out has been forced by compelling situations. Dutee Chand has revealed that she has been blackmailed by her sister, who has demanded Rs. 25 lakh from her.
The Indian Psyche
Homosexuality has been a controversial topic for a very long time. Indians are conventionally homophobes with most parents threatening to disown their children should they indulge in “wrong practices”.
Ever since the decriminalization of Article 377, the buzz around sexuality and freedom to make sexual choices have increased significantly. Prior to the decriminalization, the government was known to be anti-LGBTQ. Remarks were made by cabinet ministers and other popular politicians related to the legalization of homosexuality leading to an increase in the number of HIV cases. Many even commented on homosexuality being anti-religion.
This brings me to a very important question. We claim to be a secular nation; the Preamble of the Indian Constitution declares so. Then why should anything being anti-religious affect how the law functions.
What makes Homosexuality anti-religious?
A lot of people may not know this, however, the Hindu scriptures have talked about homosexuality from the Vedic era. There are plentiful mentions of homosexuality being accepted, by not just the common folk, but also the royalty. The city of Khajuraho has international popularity for the ancient temples it houses. In fact, one complex of temples is even a part of the UN Heritage sites. When one looks at the carvings on these temples carefully, symbols of homosexuality are clearly visible.
We as a nation are already divided by one too many things. Do we need more issues to divide us? Question is, do we need more debate that divides? Yes, a debate is important. However, is it really a debate when we take to a person’s personal life and make it matter for discussion over cocktails? No. That, ladies and gentlemen, is gossip and an infringement of their privacy. Is this what the modern Indian looks like? A person who snoops on another’s private life and looks into their bedroom windows?
While the community, in general, has applauded Dutee Chand for her boldness and honesty, she now has battles to face at home. It is yet to be seen what happens to her personal life, but we at Social Chumbak also applaud her. Her statements show that homosexuality is a part of nature. And it is with people like her that change will not just come, but will also be accepted by society.
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