Talk More about rainbows and darkness
Colours define you and me. We can blend into a new reality.
Hi Mores,
Thank you so much for reading Talk More! This week is about colours and all that they stand for. I am obviously all rainbows, and Akash is the dreaded darkness that we have to tolerate. Our pieces are written exactly that way. But, before you go further, some !FLASH NEWS!
Um, I think I hyped it up too much. It’s really nothing. Just- we moved from Revue to Substack. Um - those are just the platforms I use on the backend to get you the newsletter. Now that I think about it, why would it matter to you? :’|
I’m sorry I-
Let’s just get into it.
Personal Upgrades
I had been looking for a job for time immemorial (4 months). I went through a few offers that really didn’t suit me. And, I didn’t suit (read: was eligible for) the companies that I wanted. BUT….. *intense drumroll* I have FINALLY landed a job that I like at Taylor and Francis as an editorial assistant! I will help make books happen! On the other hand, Akash won another ‘told you!’ moment so… as annoyed as happy.
Damn, employment requires a huge stack of papers. I became so lazy knowing all that’s needed, I started missing my unemployment.
I still haven’t received a box of chocolates I asked you guys for, in the last issue. Are you even reading this?
Currently, I am
Watching: Julie and Julia
Let’s just say, it made me feel happy about having this newsletter. And made me want to be more consistent with it.
Reading: Documents
For employment purposes. Okay, okay - I know I can’t keep joking about it. I will begin reading next week, promise!
Rainbow
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon from Pexels
How far are we from inclusivity? : Neglect of the Indian queer community’s mental health
Khyati Sanger, Amrendra Vishen, Rajini P
*Names in text have been changed for privacy
Blue, an MBA student in Delhi, has been struggling with her identity for the past one month. She wants to explore herself as a member of the queer community and needs a mental health professional to help her through the process. However, there are very few certified professionals in Delhi, and most of them charge a hefty fee. "On top of that, I've to be very careful about whether the professional is queer friendly or not. This is a very community-specific issue," she says. "If we end up seeking help where we are not welcomed, it could worsen what we are going through."
According to Indian decadal census in 2011, the population of the queer community is nearly 2.5 million. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, says that this community is “the most vulnerable and marginalised in many societies, and among those most at risk from COVID-19,”
The same is reiterated by the Indian Supreme Court’s final verdict on section 377 during which it stated the role of mental health professionals in providing responsible mental health care to the queer community. This becomes a priority when we look at the research paper by Sage Publications which declares that the depression and suicide rates in the members of the queer community are higher than the population estimates that are a 4.5% population estimate for India.
Violet, a lifestyle journalist, argues that we need to become more aware as a society before we can take care of the queer community's mental health. "Post Natal Depression was considered 'hysterical' in the 18th century. And, only women could be hysterical. That was just due to the patriarchal nature of psychiatry. The rest cure would micromanage and restrict any creative outlet of a woman going through PTSD. Something similar is happening to the queer community. Society's ignorance is stopping us from getting adequate mental health resources to happily be ourselves, and get the support that's needed to do so."
The “ignorance” is proven by the 2006 study conducted by Dr. Bharat Reddy on ‘Medical Students’ Knowledge and Perception of Homosexuality in India’ which showed that 55.43% of the respondents looked at homosexuality as a psychological disorder which required therapy. They often pathologize these identities, and stigma and discrimination by health care providers often impact access to treatment.
Indigo, a student of University of Delhi, recalls how her psychiatric ward also believed the same and tried to "treat" her homosexuality. "They called up my parents and sought permission from them to put me under constant surveillance. They tried to talk me out of my relationship because it seemed unnatural to them. My mental health was worse when I came back. It was like I was given the wrong medicine." She explains, "People always change their doctors if they are not able to heal our physical symptoms. But for the queer community, if we don't end up feeling better in the supervision of an abusive mental health professional, we are blamed as patients."
Growing with conflict and confusion, and coming out in hostile and insensitive environment is taxing and emotionally draining to the queer community. Once the individual is in terms with their sexuality it’s another struggle to be at ease and feel inclusive. The developing countries are far from taking substantial initiative in this direction at the grassroot level. The lack of mental health resources translate into longer periods of suffering for the community. An analysis of the NHS data done in UK establishes that the homosexual and bisexual community is more than twice as likely as heterosexuals to have a long-term mental health condition. Findings are similar across the globe.
While few global corporations in India have started taking initial steps to drive awareness among employees to create a more inclusive culture, far more is needed to make a structural difference on the ground-level since the responsibility lies with the governmental institutes and the society as well. National level study and scientific research in the area of mental health and policy formation with provision to queer community are the need of the hour in order to understand the issue and sensitise the society about the same. The intellectual capital must then be used to train the existing mental health care professional so that they are competent first, and are empathetic to the need of queer community’s mental issues. The institutional support can allow members of the society to further the initiative at an individualistic level. With the use of dialogue and inclusivity, the change can start at home.
Darkness
Akash Dutta
Photo by Engin Akyurt from Pexels
I wish I could die
Just a little bit
To know what it feel like
Staring into its dark pit
Abyss,
Will you really stare back?
Or is it just lore?
I’m losing the track of time
Or have I been here before?
Maybe it’s been a century
Or it could be day two
My dark eyes are tracing shadows
Shadows of you.
The burden of Atlas crushes my eyelids
Yet I can’t fall dead
It’s good guys who die young
I’ll still carry my head.
All I remember is your smell
Of innocent Hyacinth bloom
And the last time I smelled them
Was when I visited your tomb.
Mors solum Veritati
Travel soon Grim’s scythe
The burden of life is undesired
Just let me smell the Hyacinths again
My love, I’m tired.
Oh and before you leave, how is this for a logo?
Talk More… about that which matters
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