Bhim Singh, a BJP Member of Parliament, has asked that the three-letter code for Gaya International Airport be changed from “GAY.” LGBTQ organizations have strongly condemned this request, saying it is based on bigotry rather than real cultural issues. The scandal has sparked a larger discussion about how people see and treat LGBTQ people in India.
Bhim Singh, a member of the Rajya Sabha from Bihar, wrote to Parliament to ask why the International Air Transport Association (IATA) still uses the code “GAY.” He said that the term makes people “uncomfortable.” He asked the government to think about changing the code to something “more respectful and culturally appropriate” and wanted to know when the change would happen.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said that IATA gives three-letter codes to airports around the world to make them easy to find. These codes are usually the first three letters of the location’s name. He said that Air India had asked IATA for a change before, but the request was turned down. IATA’s Resolution 763 says that these codes are permanent and can only be changed in “exceptional circumstances,” which usually have to do with safety aboard airplanes.
Activists Speak Out Against “Offensive” Description
LGBTQ activists have strongly criticized the MP for calling the code disrespectful. Arvind Narrain, an activist, noted the Supreme Court’s 2018 verdict that decriminalized same-sex relationships and acknowledged the right to dignity for LGBTQ individuals. “The member’s description of us as immoral strips the community of dignity,” Narrain added, urging for the MP to apologize. “They need to educate themselves that as per the Supreme Court, what governs is not personal morality but constitutional morality.”
Rajesh Srinivas, another activist, said that “there is nothing culturally inappropriate about it” and that any discomfort with the name “stems from deeply ingrained prejudice.”
Shanmathi Senthil Kumar, a counseling psychologist and advocate for diversity, said that Singh’s framing was “deeply concerning.” She said that calling the word “GAY” offensive or unsafe shows how deeply rooted the stigma against LGBTQIA+ people still is. She stressed the need to put LGBTQIA+ voices first in public discourse to stop prejudice from shaping public narratives.
Psychotherapist Vidya Dinakaran also spoke out, pointing out how little people in India know about the queer community. She said that an MP bringing up the matter could be a step toward inclusivity, but she also said that just avoiding a word that is considered offensive is not the answer. Instead, she said that the only way to move forward is to “confront and address” the issue so that people can really grasp and embrace it.