Pink Pages

“AHA!  hw I wsh this hot cutlet was gay! Gimme “that” look baby” I wrote once on the famous networking site ‘Twitter’ when a hot guy got into the Mumbai local train that I was commuting from  home to work . And jhatpat came the reply tweets. My friend said “WOW! Looks like u r having a gud time”. Another jokingly tweeted the lines from the film Dostana-“Phoolo Phalo.. Khair chhodo”. My message travelled all through the cyberspace…it travelled through the length and breadth of our country. And to Germany, London, USA, Pakistan…everyone who followed me on twitter knew what I was up to. It was like a nail biting moment in a cricket match where there is one ball left and 2 runs to be taken to win the match. The world was praying…as I was ‘prey’ing. People followed my tweets and gave me several innovative suggestions, most of which were inspired by Hindi flicks. My friend from Australia said “keep looking at him…he will get the hint”. And Indian tweets were all filled with motherly emotions, predictions and perseveration. “I really wish he is gay…I want to see you settled…go for the kill buddy”, “I am sure he will heed to your glances, my intuitions are strong”. While I was busy reading and replying to the tweets in excitement, I missed the Hot Guy, and before I could realize I saw him alighting at a station…my drooling eyes settled and my mind was unsettled. I tweeted now in pain and vain-“He is gone… poi pocheee.” And now, a new wave of sympathy and empathy blew in twitter land.  I received condolences which seemed like obituary messages.

Such is the magic of twitter, a movement of sorts that is gaining popularity by the day.  It is amazing to note that there are so many who get hooked and booked on twitter. But is it all fun and pun and no serious talk? No. It is not so. While I do tweet about my daily bitter sweet incidences-as-they-happen, I also use the media to voice my opinions on serious issues.  When the section 377 case was up for hearing at the High Court… Twitterizans echoed and supported the cause in large numbers; many joined the Queer Pride Parade in Bombay. We have had and still have and will have constructive and interesting debates and discussions on twitter.  And they are made interesting because of the space restrictions – you just have 140 characters to express your view. So twitterizans innovate and explore new lingo and methods to woo and boo.

The question I guess one would also ask is if this place is serenely sanctified for homosexuals and lesbians and a place where mentally challenged homophobes don’t enter? Are you kidding me?? How is that possible that they aren’t here? They are omnipresent. Yes, we do encounter an occasional homophobe. But it doesn’t happen quite in a quotidian.  Most of these homophobic messages that I have got are often as private tweets (aka direct messages) which are not visible to all and sundry.  It is difficult for petty minds to sustain their saneness when they see someone blatantly and brazenly be comfortable about his or her sexuality. They would pounce on any opportunity of this kind to vent their wrath.  And not that they hold themselves back here. But twitter is so open as a medium, which is visible to the whole world, one wouldn’t actually want to make him/herself been seen as a propagator of any negative or repressive thought. I should agree though, that if homophobic thought finds resonance and depth in the minds of fellow twitterers the tables could turn too.

Until then

Tweetthe Rahooooo!