Some excerpts from Adv. Vrinda Grover's statement at the Supreme Court of India, as a part of the 15 petitions that were heard for the marriage equality bill. She presented arguments for the concept of a chosen family which was a more progressive stance on how families/unions could be defined by the constitution and it goes beyond just same-sex marriage. It could cover polyamory and recognition of queerplatonic intimacies between 2 or more individuals, and much more:
“During COVID, a study that was done on trans persons found that when trans persons due to lockdown and the nature of the disease, had to return to their natal families and their homes. Over there they faced violence. They faced conversion therapy which is prohibited. And that was actually an illustration of what would happen if other social formations of care and support did not exist. This is what has been described as an atypical family. This form of chosen family is recognized in our law; for instance, adoption.
Adoption is a form of chosen family. Today we recognize families and we conceptualize family as by blood, marriage or adoption."
"There is increasing legislative and judicial recognition of a person who may not necessarily be conjoined through marriage or conjugal intimacies. In relation to the advanced directive, every person who is not a minor shall have a right to make an advanced directive in writing specifying any of the following individual or individuals in order of precedents he wants to appoint as his nominated representatives.
"..Ensure that laws and policies recognize the diversity of family forms, including those not defined by descent or marriage and take all necessary legislative, administrative and other measures to ensure that no family may be subjected to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity of any of its members, including with regard to family related social welfare and other public benefits, etc. "
"I would say that what we are canvassing before this court is a different imagination. A new imagination of marriage and relationships and of family. An imagination which actually places at the foundation, love, care, and respect which may or may not come from the natal family because of my sexual orientation and gender identity.”
"There can be a feminist jurisprudence and feminist critique of family and that family can perpetuate caste purity and patriarchal control; so there may be persons who are of different sexual orientations and gender identities, which because of the hostility of natal families actually form intimacies that are non-marital, non-procreative, which are intimacies that are the only social conclave and support they can find."
Her statements were pleasantly surprising. Most of the earlier petitions chose to only focus on gay marriage and trans people having the right to marry, and I didn't expect any of the (star)lawyers/petitioners to go beyond that. But this. This is a sign of liberation. It reminds me a lot of the family code that granted marriage equality in Cuba. I love that we have some very progressive minds fighting this case.
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a raven father (i call him "pants") I've been feeding sometimes likes to sit outside my window and either wait for more food or just listen to the stuff I'm watching while I draw. Today's a colder day so he likes to fluff up a bit, and I kid you not :
this is an accurate representation of my view
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"i have to water the shitbird wait a minute"
"prosper stupid poultry"
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To keep the world balance, it is only fair for one Alex to go up and the other to go down. ⬆️⬇️
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