In private schools, those in positions of power often dismiss a teacher’s child if their access to the institution is brought by free education. Higher authorities don’t consider the humanity of a teacher’s child — they won’t address their problems with the sensitivities that they use for students who are already paying.

“They can ask anything, do anything, ignore anything,” Aarti explained. “I know my other staff members, who cannot raise their voice, and are calling me to say that my children are suffering with the same thing.”

Schools need to prioritize education about The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, so that students can trust that their school will support them, and offenders would at least hesitate before harming someone.

“The saddest part of society is that bullying is taken so easily,” Aarti said. “The police officers were saying that ‘Bullying is very normal, ma’am. In colleges, everywhere – bullying is very normal.’ They’re treating my child as ‘over-sensitive’. The society made them over-sensitive.”

A school and parent’s support can be lifesaving – LGBTQI+ youth with affirmative families, are about 50 percent less likely to be at risk of suicide than those with non-supportive families.

Last year, NCERT released a downloadable guide to create gender and trans-affirming places by educating school teachers and administrators. But the guide was taken down soon after immense backlash that included the contributors being harassed by right-wing Hindutva trolls and complaints from the National Commission for ‘Protection’ of Child Rights.

More than half of trans and nonbinary youth are at risk of suicide. What about those who die without the language to find themselves? How does a statistic calculate the loneliness of not knowing the love in queerness and transness.

Arvey was made to perceive himself and his identity through a lens of shame and slurs. It is necessary for schools to make LGBTQI+ affirming education mandatory so that identities are respected, not degraded, Aarti said.

If we don’t create spaces that affirm youth’s right to be themselves, it will continue to put them at risk of suicide.

Continued: https://www.pixstory.com/story/how-do-we-live-in-this-graveyard-where-the-possibility-of-being-is-killed-before-we-become1659017464/119710