Will the total solar eclipse disrupt your cell service?

In its recently released manifesto, Congress promised to expand Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution of India to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The other and only mention of queer rights is in the promise that the party will bring in a law, “after consultation”, legalising civil unions for LGBTQ+ couples in India. On the other side of the globe, another storm with J K Rowling’s name on it is brewing.

Yet again, capitalising on the language of clout, she dared the Scotland police to take action against her with a post in which she misgenders 10 trans people. This is in reaction to a recent hate crime law passed in Scotland which recognises transgender persons as a targeted community. “Freedom of speech and belief are at an end in Scotland if the accurate description of biological sex is deemed criminal”. 

Online drama, real life trauma

Watching this all unfold on social media, as most Rowling drama does, reminded me why these spaces are not conducive for substantive debate — just for shock-value-based reductive statements meant to offend. I also realised that I was likely among many people who saw more content – much more – around Rowling than the Congress manifesto’s LGBTQ+ agenda. Perhaps this is a function of drama winning over policy discussion on social media platforms. Perhaps it’s a function of who gets to use social media and be “progressive” in India.