I would like to say this to any fellow LGBTQ's in India whose religion is making them struggle to be themselves. You're in safe hands now. You're protected by law. It is not a sin to be gay and homosexuality is not a disease either. With all respect to any religions in this world - stop believing in something that denies who you are. India has finally joined us by decriminalising gay sex, because that's the right thing to do. Other countries will follow us one by one, you know?
It was an ancient penal code known as Section 377 that had kept the country homophobic for so many years, so it was about time. The code refers gay sex as "unnatural offence" and punishable by years of prison sentence plus a fine (so Gay Kama Sutra therapy and all that was just a fantasy?) Anyway the code is now ruled out by the Supreme Court of India. The judgement was read out earlier today, "Criminalising carnal intercourse is irrational, arbitrary and manifestly unconstitutional."
India already started to ban discriminations against LGBT 12 months ago, so the decision to legalise gay sex came only naturally - you can't accept two people in the same sex fall in love with each other but forbid them from having sex.
While the LGBTQ+ communities across India celebrate the victory, certain groups of people are up in arms - religious groups, and those who live in rural areas whether their 'gay is sin' belief is religion-related or not. It's a huge country with a population of 1.3 billion, so nothing can be turned overnight. This is only a new start.
Now go to YouTube, search by words "Gay India", and check any videos by news channels. You'll see quite a big ratio of 'thumbs down' ratings against thumbs up. Almost every video that's related to LGBTQ rights in India.
1/3 of YouTube viewers want India to remain Third World.
I have met many gay Indian friends who have drifted away from their family and their mother country because of their sexuality. Some of them were seriously 'disowned' by their parents after they came out as gay - very brave. In the world where reproduction is the only objective of life (I'm not saying the whole India is), where not marrying someone of the opposite sex is a failure, LGBT are considered inferior. And for that reason alone, we are bullied, verbally abused, brutally attacked and even tortured. This is insane.
Gay Is Legal. Get Over It.
I felt powerless when a supplier of my business from India refused to understand my sexuality - he was the one who asked. How's your family? Are you married? Do you have children? Why don't you have children, why? Is there anything wrong with your wife?
He was a decent man as far as I was concerned. However quite understandably he was rather disgusted and angry when I told him I had a husband because I was gay. I tried my best to explain how normal it is to have gay relationships in my country. But like anything else - the conversation is impossible when something's lawfully correct in one country and illegal in the other.
Unfortunately he ended our trading relationship - because of my sexuality. At least I know I won't let that happen again with anyone from India now that homosexuality is legalised over there.
Congratulations! to Gay India. Fight is not over yet, but this is a new start. #loveislove
Very good post. You are right almost all youtube videos regarding gay rights in India is thumbs down by at least a quarter. This is terrible news that it shows there are many numbers of homophobic people in the world especially among Indians. I have thought they have come a long long way but there is going to be much longer to overcome.
Hi, thanks for your comment. Yeah that was shocking…they are news channels so the viewers didn’t disapprove the video quality or other factors but the context of it. I’m pretty annoyed. Yes as you say, there may be a long way to go, but they’ve made this far so let’s celebrate for India for now.
I didn’t know gay sex was illegal in India until now but it all makes sense because I met a lot of supposedly gay men who were like hitting on me while I was traveling there but none really wanted to sleep with me lol.
Hi Kev, thanks for your comment. My Indian gay friends tell me that anything could happen behind curtains there, but it’s the social acceptance level that’s so low, they’re hoping it to change. Next time you go to India, make sure to update us with your new experience!