Social Media Advertising and Public Awareness: Touching the LGBT Chord!
Introduction LGBT rights and the contemporary situation in India Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people face ample problems in India which are not faced by non LGBT people. They are looked down upon by other people. Sexual activity between two people of the same sex is considered illegal and punishable by law in our country. According to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, homosexual intercourse is a criminal offense. Indian youth is following the West in public proclamations of their sexuality. This is creating ideological conflicts in the society because homosexuality is still an extremely tabooed discussion to have in India. Recognizing transgendered individuals as a third gender is possibly the first step taken towards eradication of this taboo, however, little progress has been made in this regard. Many in India consider homosexuality to be contrary to Indian culture and do not want decriminalization of Section 377 and consider homosexuality is against science and nature. It is viewed as a bad addiction and such group of people in India makes an attempt to cure it through medicine and yoga, assuming that if relationships between homosexuals are allowed in our country then it would lead to an increase in the number of people suffering from HIV/AIDS. On the other hand, several NGOs such as the NAZ Foundation are fighting for the rights of LGBT people. In December 2015, a bill was introduced in Parliament for the decriminalization of Section 377, but it was rejected. In April 2015, a bill was passed in the Council of State guaranteeing legal aid, pension, reservation in jobs and education for transgender people. The government intends to provide the same benefits to them which are enjoyed by the scheduled tribes and scheduled caste people. This research explores the effects and impact that advertisements have on the general community. Standing within the constraints of the current scenario, the paper discusses how advertisements drawn on the theme of LGBT rights is affecting the brand. Advertisements are created to gain the attention of viewers to market their products. Advertisements popularize a product and attract consumers, be it shampoo, a website or a government policy. There are many social platforms which can be used for advertisements including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Millions are spent each year on the advertisements. If the public likes the advertisement, then there are resulting sales. Advertisements may also reveal negative or a positive perspectives on an issue. If advertisements are used to convey social messages, then the messages will have a wide viewership. Brands such as Dove (beauty brand) Anouk (apparel brand) are examples of those that take on social messages for their viewers. These advertisements project a new point of view on a social issue along with advertising the product. They have proven to be a huge driving force for changing the thought process of people for the good. Sometimes advertisements share a popular take on an issue while at others they portray an unpopular position. However, most of the times it has garnered a positive response from the public. If these advertisements are given a bigger platform so that it can target a larger audience, then it will have a greater impact on the society. LGBT rights and human rights There is an inequality between rights which non LGBT people enjoy and the rights possessed by LGBT people. Non LGBT people can adopt children, have an open social life and can pursue a career of their choice. LGBT individuals face difficulty in adoption because many are concerned with the moral values which they believe homosexuals would inculcate in children. LGBT people are ridiculed wherever they go. They are socially humiliated for their choice of partners. They also face problems while pursuing a career of their choice, since people claim that they do not want to be around homosexuals driving them to be closeted individuals who are socially unable to reveal their sexual orientations.