“It was around the time my son completed his masters in medicine that I insisted on looking for a girl to get him married to. A couple of times later, he said he did not want to. I didn’t think too much about it, but he came back and kept showing me pictures of other men. One day, I asked him why he didn’t show me pictures of women and that’s when he opened up to me. He told me he was gay. I had no understanding about sexuality or LGBTQ, so he had to sit me down and explain what it meant. It was a shocker! I was traumatized, to say the least and I couldn’t show it to my son. Neither the background that we come from nor our family understood or accepted his ideology. For long, my son kept asking me why I didn’t react but I went numb everytime he spoke about it. I wanted to take my time to understand and come to terms with it, which I believe, is absolutely justified. At the same time, my son was worried if I was accepting of him or if it was affecting me in any way. But I just couldn’t lie to him or myself and say that I was okay. I began to search ‘How to treat homosexuality’ on Google. I also told him I would take him to a psychologist. He actually accompanied me and the psychologist explained to me that it’s absolutely normal. Post the session, my son told me how he’d be proud of me the day I stood up for him and his community. I think that was the moment that truly made me accept and support him. Of course friends, neighbours and even family members asked me why I would support a “boy like that”. But he is my son! What could be more important than him and his life? He’s not a murderer or a rapist. There was no reason for me to let go of him. My family can boycott me if need be, but I’m going to stand by him till the end. If parents don’t support their children, nobody will. If they can’t look at us for help, who will they look at? It’s time we take responsibility of letting our children live the lives they wish to. Afterall, we must live our lives not for the society but for ourselves.”

In collaboration with LGBTQ Hyderabad

#Acceptance #Love #Pride #Mother #MothersLove #LGBT #LGBTQ #Queer #Child #Family #Support #Children #LoveisLove #Gay #Trans #Gaypride #LGBTPride #Instagay #Nonbinary #Strong #Empower #Hyderabad #HumansofHyderabad