- #HGWORLD
- #HGCREATORS
- #HGEXPLORE
- #HGVOICES
- #HGSHOP
- CAREERS
- ABOUT US
- CONTACT US
“Only love will prevail.”
Trilok Singh’s comment, in regards to Manjit Kaur’s marriage to her wife Pucca Baugh, was only one of the many, amid the mixed sea of responses. Their union marks a milestone; breaking down non-inclusive barriers that continue to dictate social norms, perceptions and policies within the country. However, this is about more than a marriage that defied the status quo—Kaur has served in the Jalandhar police force for over ten years, and is a sub-inspector who made her way up the ranks as a result of her dedication and conviction to her work.
Kaur’s story of her professional and personal life is a significant, yet unfortunately rare incident of recognition and acceptance amongst LGBTQ individuals in India. Their marriage also showcased a unique sense of acceptance and inclusion, where both sides of the family gave their permission and blessings. The ceremony was carried forward as per their traditional Hindu rituals. Kaur’s colleagues and classmates from college also participated in the celebration, and her marriage was the first ever such case to have occurred in Punjab.
Interestingly enough, Kaur and Baugh’s marriage is not the first of its kind in the country. Thirty years ago in Madhya Pradesh, two police women, Leela and Urmila, married each other through a Hindu ceremony. However, both women were suspended from their posts and moved on to live with Urmila’s family. The reactions received by the women, were uncannily enough, very similar to those received by Kaur and Baugh; the only difference is that people’s lives and matters weren’t accessible to the public via Facebook in 1987. Some people were outraged by the engagement, infuriated enough to discharge these women from the force. Others, similar to the millennial couple’s friends and family, saw nothing wrong in their marriage and even found their suspension unjust on part of the police force. Their union was actually considered nothing more than a “wedding of two souls”, as quoted by one of their neighbours in The Telegraph.
These stories represent a miniscule, yet relevant portion in the larger struggle for inclusion and rights, by both women and homosexuals within India. While their marriage wasn’t accredited as a civil partnership, a social media bystander was nice enough to point out that Kaur and Baugh’s nuptials would essentially save both women from dowry harassments, claim to ancestral property and other unnecessary ‘legalities’ that come with patriarchal marriage dynamics.
Feature Image Courtesy — India
Other articles you might enjoy:
