Birmingham: Change is essence. Sports is a wonderful element to rewrite the narrative and bring in a change in the world. That is what happened at the City of Thousand Trades yesterday. Olympic Champion Tom Daley shot into scene with the Queen’s baton followed by the LGBTQIA+ flag at CWG opening ceremony.
Multiple other LGBTQIA+ athletes followed Tom waving the flag in pride and power. India was represented in the Progress Parade by Dutee Chand who is India’s openly lesbian athlete.
Also Read: List of all Indians participating in the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022
Dutee Chand, a sprinter from Jajpur is the third Indian to qualify for 100m race in the Olympics. She is also the first ever Indian to win a gold medal in 100 metres in a global competition. Dutee came out in 2019 stating that she was in a same sex relationship. She then stated that it was the 2018 Supreme Court verdict which decriminalized homosexuality in India.
However, the Indian culture somehow could not somehow adjust to that. She faced with humiliation in her village. The athlete earlier in her career also faced hyperandrogen allegations. After coming out, Dutee’s elder sister threatened to disown her. The moment of waving LGBTQIA+ flag at CWG Opening Ceremony was a blow to all who said demeaning words. Dutee Chand remains India’s one of the finest athletes. She will continue to inspire generations of LGBTQIA+ kids.
Half of the Commonwealth countries have banned homosexuality. Pakistan, Barbados being one of them. All around the globe, a whopping sixty-nine countries consider homosexulaity a crime. It is high time we shun the naysayers and move forward in accepting everyone. It is everyone’s right to love and be who they want. On this note, this decision is one of the best decisions ever undertaken.
