When sex comes out of the sin bin
Tanveer Ahmed;10/7/08
A young Indian patient of mine has just come out. Overcoming his enormous fear of rejection, he has finally admitted to his conservative Hindu family that he is gay. For those who doubt the power of symbols, he was partly inspired by the first gay parade in Delhi last week. A large portion of the several thousand who marched wore masks to remain anonymous. They were both celebrating their sexuality and protesting against an 1861 penal code enacted by the British that “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” is punishable by life imprisonment. While it is rarely applied, there are still cases of corrupt police using it to blackmail suspected homosexuals.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/when-sex-comes-out-of-the-sin-bin/2008/07/09/1215282920183.html
Chaotic steps forward for gay rights in India
Harry Sanna; 1/7/08
The Indian capital’s first gay and lesbian parade began in typical style for the country - chaotic, vibrant and a tad disorganised. After a delayed start and a last-minute change to the meeting area, about 300 people gathered for a two-kilometre walk through the heart of the city. “This is a great day for India,” said Ravi, who waved a rainbow flag madly through the procession. “This is not just for us, this is for everyone in the country.” The parade was co-ordinated with similar marches in Kolkata and Bangalore to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York that sparked the gay rights movement in the US in 1969.
See: http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/chaotic-steps-forward-for-gay-rights-in-india/2008/06/30/1214677946333.html
Tags: Homosexuality, India