We are living in a strange time, where any content is propagated in the name of freedom of expression. We have witnessed a barrage of same-sex, LGBT, and other objectionable content in recent times. Since the advent of OTT, such content has been brought into the mainstream.
In one such instance, Prayasam, a UNICEF-supported organization that allegedly for underserved communities in Kolkata, is organizing a film festival dedicated to the LGBT community, the idea being to drive home the point early on that its members needed — more than anything else — acceptance from their families and society.
The organization has turned 25 years old this week, and it is organizing the ‘Bad and Beautiful World Film Festival’ since 2014. This year, the festival will show an anthology of eight short films titled Resh, with screenings being held even in schools. This year they are screening 8 films for students, and unfortunately, these films are focused on same-sex relationships.
As expected, this news has created a huge furor and people have started criticizing the NGO. Prasanta Roy, director of Prayasam said that “The purpose of this film festival is not to ‘popularise’ a community but to normalize and accept people irrespective of their sexual preferences. Learning about LGBTQ issues from a formative age will enable youth to become good allies to their peers as they get older, which is why these films will be screened in Prayasam’s network of 60 schools once the educational institutions open soon”.
He further added that “Be it in India or abroad, the scenario hasn’t much changed when it comes to social acceptance. Raising eyebrows or extra inquisitiveness towards people in same-sex relationships can be witnessed everywhere. And while it has become a trend on social media to use a rainbow frame on Facebook profile photos, this show of support remains limited to social media platforms, conferences, discussions, and debates. It is questionable that though Article 377 has been repealed in the book, how many of us will be able to accept if our son or daughter or sibling or a family member is gay or lesbian”.
Well, the logic given by Mr. Roy is highly biased and botched up. We also advocate for sexual education to the school-going students, who are moving into the adolescence stage of their life. The government or NGOs must provide students information about their sexual life, hormonal growth, hygiene methods, and other aspects to prevent any sexual disease or disorder.
However, by showing same-sex relationship movies, we failed to understand what kind of message these NGOs are giving to our breeding generation. They are trying hard to bring LGBT relationships into the mainstream, which is not a good signal for our society.
Society and Government must keep a check on such NGOs and monitor the kind of content they are sharing with our students, as these left-leaning NGOs use movies and dramas to brainwash innocent people, and then misguide them in the name of Wokeism. Such practices must be stopped immediately.
