MUMBAI: Celina Jaitley who recently re-launched the gay magazine Bombay Dost has been at the receiving end of the ire of Homophobes.
Ever since the re-launch of the magazine a few days back, Jaitley has been inundated by mails on her official website. The support showed by Jaitley has triggered extreme reactions from people. Though there has been tremendous support from people all over the world, what has astounded the actress is that majority of these irate mails have come from women!!! These mails have gone on to call her names, use derogatory and abusive language and denounce her.
Jaitley elaborates saying, "Numerous intolerant and homophobic people have sent me abusive messages regarding my gay rights activism and launch of Bombay Dost on various websites including my own. It does not deter me from my cause but it saddens me that people have so much hatred not only towards sexual minorities but towards people who show them support. It is so unfortunate that people have not stopped their hatred against the gay community but have only learnt to mask it. My struggle has only just begun and I thank all those who stand by me in this human rights and human dignity issue.”
The actress who starred in ‘Golmaal Returns’, has always campaigned for the rights of gays and has actively supported them in every endeavour earning the epithet of the ‘Most Queer-friendly public icon’. Jaitley has extended her active support be it walking the streets hand in hand with the gays, protesting against the criminalization of homosexuality or setting up groups on her official website and social networking sites for people from all walks of life to lend their support and love.
This extreme reaction that her support for gays rights has elicited a stronger determination in her to bring together all the supporters.
Taking all the flak in her stride she says unfazed, “Despite all the hate mail from all homophobic groups, I will not cease to continue what I started. I’ve learnt one thing in life – people even more than things have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; never throw out anyone…”
For this, she solicits every supporter to join the communities promoting gay rights on her official website and on the social networking site Facebook so that every individual can exercise his / her right to their sexuality without fear of being marginalised.
Jaitley puts in a last word, “There are critics for everything a celebrity does so does that mean I must stop living and listening to my heart? I’m happy to do this for all my gay friends."
She ends with an appeal to all like-minded people – Just stand by me.
