Marriage of a thousand lies

The story was so detailed and the main character so well-crafted that it sound like a autobiography. Despite the fact that I felt suffocated, anxious and sometimes sick listening to what Lucky was going through, I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed it because it wasn’t fake even though the character didn’t exist. Being born in a traditional family or have different opinion from your last generation is one thing and dealing with a whole society or even worse, the government is something else. What Lucky was struggling with is what millions of young people around the world are more or less dealing with. It can be as simple as choosing their field of study or as complicated as coming out in a traditional family. Sindu mentioned in class that she would never marry the way Lucky did. I think many of those from traditional families who grew up here wouldn’t do the same either. It’s not because they don’t have enough respect or love for their families or their cultures. It’s simply because of circumstances. To be more clear, compare Lucky with Shireen in Circumstances. Lucky live in the US where she can get a job and live without any support from her family or anyone else, just like her sister did. Shireen lives in Iran where there are not enough jobs even for men. Landlords usually don’t let single people to rent their property even if they can afford it. She has a bad record and a psycho who is in power and obsessed with her. Her uncle is her only support that wants he to marry anyone possible. What choice does she have? Even Atefeh is not that different. She has a supportive family (that might not support her as much if they know she’s a lesbian) and has money to leave the country. LGBT issues are way more complicated in developing countries. It is harder and sometimes even risky for them to come out. However in many cases the main problem is self-acceptance. The taboo is so strong in some societies that in many cases a homosexual person (as an example) refuses to accept the fact that he/she is homosexual as if it’s a crime/sin! This is another reason why circumstances leads people to make decisions that might not make sense and many simply don't want to accept the challenge and want to have a peaceful life even if they need to lie to themselves.
Artwork: "Agni" by Chathuranga Biyagama