Like other religions, Sikhism strives to cultivate a sense of identity through religious practices, but in Sikhism, there is a shared common physical identity too. Identity Identity formation īoth the Sikh identity and sexual identities affect a person's self concept and how they relate to their community. In fact, Lilly Singh announced her bisexuality on Youtube. Other famous Sikh YouTube stars such Sikh Canadian comedian Jus Reign (Jasmeet Singh), and Lilly Singh have openly voiced their support for LGBT rights. This video defines what it means to be gay, lesbian, bisexual, and being transgender in Punjabi and is targeted to the audience that doesn't necessarily understand the different sexual and gender identities. In one of his videos, he has a conversation with his mother about homosexuality in Punjabi.
A Sikh, Manjinder Singh, describes his experiences as a gay Sikh man, using his own platform on YouTube to reach a wider audience in an attempt to generate dialogue in the community that begins by defining what it means to be queer. The internet has become a tool for young Sikhs to get information about current issues that may not be discussed directly within their communities.Ĭertain individuals use the internet to discuss homosexuality in the community. The internet allows people access to information without the discomfort of talking about it within the community. The internet has become a new way for young Sikhs, born inside and outside of India, to discuss religion and current issues anonymously. Current discussion Īlthough the topic of homosexuality in Sikhism is taboo, the younger generation is looking to the internet for answers. Marriage is seen as a spiritual journey to achieving lasting happiness through committing to the faith. In these hymns there is no mention of gender, but rather the participants are regarded as souls that are genderless. The Laavaan, the main part of Anand Karaj, are read at Sikh weddings for the union of two souls through marriage. Same-sex marriage advocates refer to this as support for marriage equality in Sikhism. Marriage in Sikhism is seen as a union of souls, and the soul is seen as genderless, with the outward appearance of human beings (man, woman) being a temporary state. The Sikh Scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, details what behavior is expected of all Sikhs. Many Sikh adherents believe the Rehat Maryada is meant to be interpreted and applied to life liberally rather than treated as a binding contract. This heteronormative way of viewing the family is questioned by those who believe Sikhism is more tolerant of people not viewed as “normal”. The Sikh Rehat Maryada emphasizes the importance of a family lifestyle, and many Sikhs believe that since same-sex partners can't reproduce and make a family that homosexuality should be condemned. These Sikhs believe that the view of some preachers in the Akal Takht is flawed. Many Sikhs believe there is nothing wrong with being LGBT or supporting LGBT rights more generally, including same-sex marriage. The divide between supporters and opponents of LGBT rights has become increasingly clear, creating a largely generational rift between older conservatives and younger liberals.
In March 2005, he told visiting Sikh-Canadian Members of Parliament (MPs) that they had a religious duty to oppose same-sex marriage: "The basic duty of Sikh MPs in Canada should be to support laws that stop this kind of practice, because there are thousands of Sikhs living in Canada, to ensure that Sikhs do not fall prey to this practice". Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti of the Akal Takht (the temporal Sikh authority in India) has condemned homosexuality. Statements and teachings of Guru Granth Sahibji 1 Statements and teachings of Guru Granth Sahibji.