Appeared in the Jan 2009 issue of UK-based interactive magazine - "The View"
As India awaits the verdict on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, the law that criminalizes homosexuality in the country, we skim through the surface of gay India.
Gokul Sharma is from a small and conservative town in India. He has always been attracted to men but has never understood why. He thought marriage would change things. It didn’t. Gokul has taken to prowling the streets at night, to fulfill the urges that come most naturally to him. For Gokul, being gay is not an identity or an orientation, it’s an alternative lifestyle, a shamed parallel life.
Gokul Sharma is a fictitious character in this article, but his story is a reality for hundreds of men living in India. However, closeted gays like Gokul, are not the only type you will find here. For India, is anything but homogenous. “Being gay in India is as complex as the culture itself. There is a wide range of 'gay' here, from the closeted husband who sneaks sex with men to the out and proud activists who are currently in Delhi High Court advocating, as I write, for the removal of section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (that criminalizes homosexual behavior).” Says Richard Gammon who has
traveled extensively through India and chronicled his experiences on globalgayz.com.
India has a vibrant gay culture, not very obvious, but very much there. A scratch of the surface is enough for alternative sexual identities of many Indians to come leaping out of the closet. As Richard says, “There are vital and vigorous gay communities that exist right in the midst of any major city's bustling affairs. I visited five or six major cities in India and found active LGBT groups and organisations offering social, medical, educational, silly-and-serious sexual advice, counseling and support.”
But most of the cou
ntry still remains homophobic and socially conservative. While modern India and traditional Hindu Scriptures frown upon homosexuality, the Kamasutra suggests that homosexuality is to be enjoyed and experienced! A quick glance through the temple walls of Khajuraho, known for its erotic carvings, shows that medieval India was anything but homophobic. Hindu mythology is full of homosexual references, like the story of two-widowed queens who make love to give birth to an heir. And one of the religion’s most revered gods – Vishnu – is transgender, he transforms himself into a woman at will!
Homophobia creeped into the culture over the centuries with the Hindu caste system gaining a strong foothold and growing Islamic and Christian religious influences. So what is it like to be single and gay in India today? “Harder than a single woman”, says Nitin Karani... (Have comments or want to read more? Drop me a mail)
As India awaits the verdict on Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, the law that criminalizes homosexuality in the country, we skim through the surface of gay India.
Gokul Sharma is from a small and conservative town in India. He has always been attracted to men but has never understood why. He thought marriage would change things. It didn’t. Gokul has taken to prowling the streets at night, to fulfill the urges that come most naturally to him. For Gokul, being gay is not an identity or an orientation, it’s an alternative lifestyle, a shamed parallel life.
Gokul Sharma is a fictitious character in this article, but his story is a reality for hundreds of men living in India. However, closeted gays like Gokul, are not the only type you will find here. For India, is anything but homogenous. “Being gay in India is as complex as the culture itself. There is a wide range of 'gay' here, from the closeted husband who sneaks sex with men to the out and proud activists who are currently in Delhi High Court advocating, as I write, for the removal of section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (that criminalizes homosexual behavior).” Says Richard Gammon who has
traveled extensively through India and chronicled his experiences on globalgayz.com.India has a vibrant gay culture, not very obvious, but very much there. A scratch of the surface is enough for alternative sexual identities of many Indians to come leaping out of the closet. As Richard says, “There are vital and vigorous gay communities that exist right in the midst of any major city's bustling affairs. I visited five or six major cities in India and found active LGBT groups and organisations offering social, medical, educational, silly-and-serious sexual advice, counseling and support.”
But most of the cou
ntry still remains homophobic and socially conservative. While modern India and traditional Hindu Scriptures frown upon homosexuality, the Kamasutra suggests that homosexuality is to be enjoyed and experienced! A quick glance through the temple walls of Khajuraho, known for its erotic carvings, shows that medieval India was anything but homophobic. Hindu mythology is full of homosexual references, like the story of two-widowed queens who make love to give birth to an heir. And one of the religion’s most revered gods – Vishnu – is transgender, he transforms himself into a woman at will!Homophobia creeped into the culture over the centuries with the Hindu caste system gaining a strong foothold and growing Islamic and Christian religious influences. So what is it like to be single and gay in India today? “Harder than a single woman”, says Nitin Karani... (Have comments or want to read more? Drop me a mail)
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