In this article we are discussing the impact of promotion of LGBTQ+ community representation through entertainment platforms, media and other social media platforms. On positive side, such media portrayals can encourage greater acceptance, visibility, and empowerment for LGBTQ+ individuals, which can help to challenge stereotypes which are prevailing in the society.

However, there are also significant challenges, which includes backlash from conservative groups, the risk of reinforcing stereotypes, and also creates potential for confusion among audiences. This article explores these complexities, highlighting both the benefits and the good and bad impacts of LGBTQ+ media representation, and thoughtful, responsible portrayals to ensure that the impact on society is constructive .

Introduction
Section 377 of the Indian penal code ,1860 which describes some of the sexual acts mainly same sex relationships "UNNATURAL" was introduced by the BRITISHERS in the year 1860, From many years, this law has been used to punish LGBTQ+ individuals, and to treat them as criminals just because of getting engaged in same sex relationships.

In 2018, a landmark decision was made by the Supreme Court that changed every scenario. The court declared that same sex relationships which are consensual will not be considered as a crime . This was a biggest step towards LGBTQ+ rights in India as it enlightened that everyone have the right to love whoever they want without the fear of getting punished by the law .

The law can also be considered as ambiguous, which covered not only homosexual acts, but some heterosexual activities also which were deemed as unnatural and that used to create confusion among people.

Section 377 was revised after the decision of Supreme court in 2018 and it was decided that the law will apply only to acts which are done without consent like sexual abuse and sex with minors which are highly severe offences. This was celebrated as a very important victory for the LGBTQ+ community.

The decriminalization of same-sex relationships helped in bringing shift which created a way towards greater acceptance among the people and also provided legal changes to them .

In India's fight for equality this ruling had a very great impact. While the country is moving towards greater changes which are legal there are still some challenges like to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination and violence we still need more laws in our country. The ruling of 2018 is a great example that laws should support dignity and equality of all citizens, discriminatory laws which were made the BRITISHERS should be left behind.

History Of Homosexuality In India

Hindu Scriptures:
There are certain instances in which presence and the acceptance of homosexuality is found in INDIA.

• In RAMAYANA, which is written by VALMIKI, it states that when Lord Hanuman returned from Lanka after visiting Goddess SITA, he saw some of the women who were rakshasa kissing and embracing other women.
• RAMAYANA, written in the Bengali language, also describes the tale about King BHAGIRATH, who was born of two women. King DILIP had two queens and he died without leaving an heir. LORD SHIVA came in the dreams of both the queens and told that they will be able to bear a child if they make love to each other. Both the queens did as directed by lord Shiva and one of the queens got pregnant, eventually giving birth to the King.
• MAHABHARATA also tells the story of SHIKANDI, who is said to be responsible for the death of BHISHMA. She was the daughter of King DRUPAD but was raised as a man.
• MATSYA PURANA also describes a shocking story when Lord Vishnu transformed into a beautiful woman named MOHINI. So that all the gods could drink AMRIT, he tricked all the demons. It is said that after seeing MOHINI, Lord Shiva fell in love with her, and the union of both led to the birth of Lord AYYAPPA.
• The book KAMASUTRA also tells about men who are attracted to the same gender.
• The RIG VEDA also describes the tale of VARUN and MITRA. They were a same-sex couple who were believed to be the representatives of the two halves of the moon.

Muslim Literature

• BABUR, the founder of the Mughal Empire, also had an attraction towards the same sex. In his book, BABURNAMA, Babur describes how he was attracted to a boy named BABURI who resided in Kabul.
• Sufi Saint BULLEH SHAH had a very pre-modern thinking of sexuality and religion, and also portrayed them in his literature. His poems often reflected his sexuality and his love for his MURSHID, SHAH INAYAT.
• The story of SARMAD KASHANI, a merchant from Armenia who later became a Sufi Saint, is also famous. He fell in love with a Hindu boy named ABHAI CHAND while traveling to India for trade. He shut down his business and started living in a place called THATTA with ABHAI CHAND.
• Sufi Saint SHAH HUSSAIN also claims his love for a Hindu boy named MADHO LAL.

Graphic Evidence

• There are many evidences of homosexuality in Indian history, found in its arts, paintings, sculptures, and other graphic forms.
• Some of these are also found in the temples built in KHAJURAHO. These temples, built by the CHANDELA dynasty between 950 to 1050 AD, showcase images where men expose their private areas to other men, and women are sexually and erotically embracing each other.
• The Sun temple of KONARK in eastern Orissa, also called SURYA DEVALAYA, was made in the thirteenth century and also has similar images to KHAJURAHO. The exterior of the temple is covered with sculptures depicting erotic scenes from the Kamasutra.
• All of these were depictions of one's sexuality and were quite shocking for the British colonizers, who wanted to control such vast displays of sexuality.

So, the BRITISHERS affected India's understanding of sexuality beyond the proscription of sex and introduced section 377 in India and this section was decriminalised in 2019 in the case of NAVTEJ SINGH JOHAR V UNION OF INDIA

Impact Of Promoting LGBTQ Representation With A Straw Through Entertainment Platforms, Media And Other Platforms
LGBTQ is a group of people who are Lesbian , Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and queer . These people have romantic feelings for same gender ,opposite gender or both .In the past , different gender identities were accepted and understood by the people of many societies which includes Indian society, But in present ,many LGBTQ people have to face inequality and prejudice and they are even denied their basic rights .

Over all these years , with the growth of social media the amount of media consumption by people has grown to a very high level . This allows the people of LGBTQ community to have a connection with others like themselves and to talk about their experiences through messages, advertisements ,TV shows, movies and content that is available online.

There has been a lot of changes in the portrayal of LGBTQ community by media .In the past , LGBTQ characters were often shown as side characters , comedians and were also bullied in the movies, These characters were often shown as weak or less important. In some of the movies and TV shows , LGBTQ people were also shown as victims and they were made to look bad . For Example , In some old Indian films ,characters like MAHARANI in "SADAK" and " ASHUTOSH RANA" in "SANGHARSH" were shown in very negative ways .

Over time , LGBTQ characters are portrayed in a more positive and realistic way in some of the films and shows like FIRE in 1996, MADE IN HEAVEN , ALIGARH and MARGARITA WITH A STRAW. These movies helped in the visibility and acceptance of LGBTQ Characters in mainstream media.

It helps young people and all other individuals to understand who they are and their identity when the media starts showing LGBTQ people in a positive light. It also helps people .We get to know about the society's feelings and acceptance of LGBTQ people after watching how the audience reacts to the LGBTQ characters shown in media .

There is a big role of media and entertainment platforms in determining how the society views individuals who belong to LGBTQ community and their gender and relationships.

Good Impacts Of LGBTQ+ Representation In Media And Social Media Platforms:

1. Increased Visibility and Acceptance: In India, LGBTQ+ people have been left out from TV shows and movies for a very long time. But now we are seeing changes as there is the appearance of LGBTQ+ characters in popular films and web series which helps people in understanding their lives better. Stories of LGBTQ+ characters are being shown in a positive way in the web series Made in Heaven (2019) and movies like Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020). These shows and movies help people in realizing that LGBTQ+ individuals have their own challenges and dreams, which makes it easier for society to accept them. It helps in changing old ideas that describe them as different or wrong. People become more accepting and understanding when they see LGBTQ+ characters more and more.
    
2. Better Understanding and Reduction in Discrimination: It helps in breaking down negative ideas and stereotypes about LGBTQ+ characters when they are shown as real people having complex lives, like the characters in Four More Shots Please (2019). These characters are shown as important people with their own stories, not as funny or sad side characters. It makes it easier for people to realize that LGBTQ+ individuals are deserving of the same love and respect like all other people of our society. It also makes it easier for people to understand the experiences of these individuals and treat them as normal individuals.
    
3. Support for Changes that Are Legal: The media also helps in changing laws for the betterment of society. Movies like Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020) describe the legal problems faced by people in India, like laws that were used to make same-sex relationships illegal. This law was changed by the Supreme Court of India in 2018, and now it is legal for same-sex couples to be together. The way LGBTQ+ characters are shown in films and TV partly influenced this decision and helped more people in understanding why this law needed to be changed. According to a report by NDTV in 2018, more coverage by media helps everyone to understand issues of the LGBTQ+ community better and accept legal changes more easily
    
4. Positive Examples for Young People: For young people who are struggling with their own identities , the LGBTQ Characters that are shown in movies and shows can be a good example. LGBTQ characters are shown as strong , real people who face many challenges , in movies like ALIGARH (2015) and EK LADKI KO DEKHA TOH AISA LAGA (2019) .These characters inspire the audience by showing that it is okay to be themselves, even in a society that is not very accepting. The research by Times of India in 2020 shows that when LGBTQ+ youth see such positive portrayals ,it helps them in feeling less alone and having more confidence and it also helps them in dealing with the feelings of sadness or being isolated and leads to reduction of mental health issues.

Bad Impacts Of LGBTQ Representation In Media And Social Media Platforms

In TV shows, movies, and social media, LGBTQ+ characters are becoming very common. But many times, these characters are shown in very unhelpful or inaccurate ways.

• Fake or simplified characters: In some stories, LGBTQ+ characters are added just to show some diversity, but these characters don't seem to be real or meaningful. Instead of showing these characters as normal, they make these characters fit into stereotypes, like portraying an overly feminine guy as a gay man or a lesbian who only looks sexual. All these things make it look like all LGBTQ+ people are the same and don't give a real overview of their lives. For example, two characters pretend to be gay just for fun in the movie "DOSTANA" (2008), which can make people think that being gay or bisexual is only funny. This also confuses people and makes it harder for them to understand what LGBTQ+ individuals go through in their lives.
   
• Backlash from conservative groups: Some groups of people get upset when LGBTQ+ characters are shown in TV shows and movies in India. These people argue that the portrayal of this community is against Indian culture and traditions. For example, some criticized the show "FOUR MORE SHOTS PLEASE" (2019) because they thought it inaccurately portrayed LGBTQ+ characters. The film "FIRE" (1996) also caused significant controversy. This criticism makes creators afraid to include LGBTQ+ characters in future shows and movies and makes it harder for LGBTQ+ individuals to live freely. This kind of hostile reaction hurts the sentiments of the LGBTQ+ community, making their acceptance in society harder and stopping people from telling real stories about their lives.
   
• Using LGBTQ+ people for profit by creators: Sometimes, TV shows or movie creators include LGBTQ+ characters because it's trendy or will attract attention, without telling a meaningful story based on their lives. In these types of shows, LGBTQ+ themes are used only to make it look "cool" or to attract viewers. This makes the issues related to the LGBTQ+ community seem unimportant and more like entertainment. In some reality TV shows, LGBTQ+ people are shown in a way that makes them seem like an exhibition instead of focusing on the real problems faced by these individuals, which lessens the seriousness of LGBTQ+ struggles.
   
• Over-focusing on sexuality: In many movies or TV shows, the main focus is to show the sexual and romantic lives of LGBTQ+ characters. This is misleading because it hides other important aspects of their lives, like their feelings, families, or dreams, and makes it seem like LGBTQ+ people are only about their sexual choices. In some shows and films, the love lives of LGBTQ+ people are highlighted, but their personal stories and other challenges remain untouched. This makes it difficult for viewers to realize that LGBTQ+ people are just like anyone else, with many sides to their personalities, but they have different sexual choices.
   
• Misunderstanding of gender diversity: Gender diversity means that some people can't be identified as just a man or just a woman. However, it is rare to see transgender or non-binary characters in many shows and movies. When they do appear, their characters are often portrayed as sad or exaggerated, which gives people the wrong idea about their lives.

In some TV shows Transgender characters are made to look like victims and are only focused on their struggles like in TV show SHAKTI – ASTITVA KE EHSAAS KI which was aired on television in the year 2016. It is very important to show all types of LGBTQ+ people in a respectful and dignified way and to show their experiences which are true in their sense

Conclusion
There can be both good and bad impacts of LGBTQ+ people's representation in media.

Its advantages are that it can help to make LGBTQ+ community more visible among the people and can help young people who are struggling with their identities to overcome their fear ,to stop discrimination and support changes within framework of law.

And the drawbacks can be it can create issues like unreal portrayals of characters which belong to LGBTQ community, it can also lead to backlash from groups and families who are very conservative and doesn't want to accept these people and think that they are different from other people just because of their sexuality

If this issue is not carefully handled ,the representation of this community can lead to confusion or cultural clashes among the youth in India .

If we want progress in our society or country it is very essential for media to show LGBTQ+ people in a more respectful, positive , meaningful and in accurate way ,so that it will help the society to understand these people better and to accept them .

References:

• Navtej Singh Johar V. Union Of India (2018), Supreme Court of India https://indiankanoon.org/doc/168671544/
• https://blog.ipleaders.in/section-377-ipc/
• https://www.lawctopus.com/academike/history-of-homosexuality-in-india/
• https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/section-377-ipc
• https://www.lawctopus.com/academike/history-of-homosexuality-in-india/
• "Right to Love: Section 377 and the Indian Constitution," available at Journal of Constitutional and International Human Rights Law (2018) by GAUTAM BHATIA https://www.inderscience.com/info/ingeneral/forthcoming.php?jcode=ijhrcs
• Role Of The Media In An Unequal World: LGBTQ Gender Identity And Portrayal DR. DIVYA JYOTI RANDEV http://journal.hmjournals.com/index.php/JMCC
• The Print (2019). The Importance of LGBTQ+ Representation in Indian Media https://theprint.in
• NDTV (2018). Media and the Decriminalization of Homosexuality in India https://ndtv.com
• How Media Representation Impacts LGBTQ+ Mental Health https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
• Positive Impact of LGBTQ+ Media Representation on Indian Society https://indiatoday.in
• LGBTQ+ Exploitation in Indian Cinema: How Authentic Are Representations? https://scroll.in
• Media Representation of LGBTQ+ Characters: Moving Beyond Tokenism https://thehindu.com
• Backlash Against LGBTQ+ Content: Is it Harming Progress? https://economictimes.indiatimes.com
• Challenges in Representing LGBTQ+ Characters in Indian Films https://indianexpress.com

End Notes:

• https://clpr.org.in/blog/the-impact-of-representation-in-the-media-for-young-queer-people/
• https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/blog/representation-matters-are-lgbtq-young-people-seeing-themselves-represented-in-the-media/
• https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/readersblog/liguaisha/the-rise-of-lgbtq-representation-in-indian-entertainment-50298/
• https://www.weforum.org/stories/2022/05/why-lgbtq-representation-should-be-a-priority-for-business-and-media/

Written By:

• Ganga Rathore,
• Meera And
• Mahi Garg