When Nisha Patel’s son Aarav was five, he loved playing with his action figures. In a hyper-real scenario, Batman would fight off the villains to rescue Iron Man. After saving Iron Man, the duo would go on to raise a baby superhero together. At that age, my son was not aware of traditional gender roles or how a family functions, and I decided not to bind him with conventions,’ Nisha tells Midday.

She continues, “For him, they were just like partners taking care of an infant.” However, Aarav's acceptance of a wider gender spectrum and his belief that same-sex individuals can be a family and share responsibilities is refreshing. Mental health experts credit these values to parents; stressing that schools play a crucial role in fostering this acceptance and understanding of queer folks.