A decade ago, men marrying men and women marrying women would have been considered as taboo, and would have kicked up a major storm worldwide. However, the recent years has seen several countries accepting these individuals into their societies by legalizing same sex marriages. On the other hand, countries like India which have deeply rooted traditional and cultural values still consider these relationships as taboo and look down upon them with distaste. So that’s why we were extremely surprised to read about a lesbian marriage in California recently, where one of the brides happened to be an Indian.
Shannon and Seema met at a boot camp. While it was instant love for Shannon, it took a while for Seema to reciprocate her feelings. But once they got committed, there was no looking back. The couple revealed about their relationship to both families, and surprisingly, received wholesome support from both sides. When the state of California passed a law legalizing same sex marriage, the couple decided to take the relationship to the next level, i.e. marriage.
The marriage was a beautiful North Indian affair, graced by both families. And what surprised everyone was the wonderful support Seema received from her parents and relatives who had all attended the wedding to bless the couple.
Lesbian marriages are pretty common nowadays! So why is Seema and Shannon’s marriage any different? Was it because this was one of those rare weddings where the brides came from totally different backgrounds? Or was it because Seema came from a country that is filled with morality keepers unwilling to accept such changes to the culture they are so used to? Probably both!
The society we live in has instilled in us a few basic rules on how we need to lead our lives. And it is this very same framework of rules that becomes a barrier of sorts for individuals who prefer ideas same sex marriages. These individuals also often face staunch opposition from their near and dear ones for voicing their desires, with some of them being forced into marriages with people of the opposite sex while others are forced to remain silent, probably forever. Cases of honor killings are also not uncommon in the rural areas of the country where the mere mention of the term ‘homosexual’ is considered a sacrilege!
These factors are probably why many individuals in the country choose to remain silent about their sexual preferences, with most of them living secret double lives. Some individuals even have families with members of the opposite sex while maintaining their relationships with their same sex partners discreetly.
Shanon and Seema’s wedding has thrown the spotlight on that one issue that we desperately try to elude every time we come across it. Are we ready to accept homosexual relationships and give them the same status as other normal relationships in the society? Would we be able to maintain a cordial relationship with a person despite knowing his/her sexual preferences? And if the situation does arise, would we a nation, be able to legalize same sex marriage so that there are more Shanons and Seemas around rather than people who struggle to maintain their true identities a secret while living false lives to appease the outside world? Only time will tell!