Shep Sgh: “I Want To Assure Other Young Queer Sikhs That One Could Be Gay and Sikh”

Contents:

• SHEP SGH: “I WANT TO ASSURE OTHER YOUNG QUEER SIKHS THAT ONE COULD BE GAY AND SIKH”
• WHY IS HOMOSEXUALY NSIRED A TABOO FOR MANY THE SIKH MUNY?HOMOSEXUALY REMAS A TABOO SUBJECT SOME SOCIETI. DURG FOREIGN MISTER JULIE BISHOP’S RECENT VIS TO THE GLENWOOD SIKH TEMPLE SYDNEY, THE REPRENTATIV OF ATRALIAN SIKH ASSOCIATN NVEYED THEIR MSAGE THAT ‘THE SIKH OF NDUCT DO NOT ALLOW SAME SEX MARRIAG’ AND HENCE THEY OPPOSE ANY SUCH BILL PASSED THE PARLIAMENT. IN THIS REPORT, PREETR GREWAL VERS THE ISSUE RAISED BY A ‘NCERNED’ PUNJABI MOTHER, THE SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND, AND SIKH BELIEFS… SOURCE: UK SPIRTUAL CHANNELTHE PEOPLE OF PUNJABI ORIG ARE OFTEN NSIRED TO BE QUE NSERVATIVE WHEN TO DISCS 'HOMOSEXUALY' OR 'SAME SEX MARRIAG'. PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS ULD BE THE VERY NATURE OF THIS SUBJECT – Y, IS DISTASTEFUL TO THEM.ACRDG TO SIKHWIKI - SIKHISIM HAS NO SPECIFIC TEACHGS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY. THE SIKH HOLY BOOK, THE GU GRANTH SAHIB, DO NOT EXPLICLY MENTN HOMOSEXUALY.VIEWS ON HOMOSEXUALY TEND NOT TO BE A PRIMARY NCERN SIKH TEACHGS, AS THE UNIVERSAL GOAL OF A SIKH IS TO HAVE NO HATE OR ANIMOSY TO ANY PERSON, REGARDLS OF RACE, STE, LOR, CREED, GENR, OR SEXUALY.IN THE LAST TWO S, DOZENS OF SCIENTIFIC PAPERS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED ON THE BLOGIL ORIGS OF HOMOSEXUALY. HOWEVER, THE SUBJECT WH THE TAG LE 'HOMOSEXUALY – NATURAL/GEIC OR SELECTIVE SOCIAL HORT' STILL REMAS NTROVERSIAL.IN A RECENT VIO, A NCERNED UK PUNJABI MOTHER ME FORWARD TO DISCS THAT 'HOMOSEXUALY IS A NATURAL PHENOMENON', AND URGED MUNY TO BE NSIRATE WHILE TACKLG ISSU RELATED TO HOMOSEXUAL PEOPLE.A PUNJABI MOTHER EXPLAS ‘WHAT HOMOSEXUALY IS TO PARENTS’ THERE ARE FEW STUDI PUBLISHED TO SUGGT THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS THE GEN. A STUDY PRENTED AT THE AMERIN ASSOCIATN FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE'S ANNUAL NFERENCE CHIGO 2014, TABLISHED THE EXISTENCE OF GEN THAT CREASE THE CHANCE OF A MAN BEG GAY. THE STUDY, WHICH VOLVED MORE THAN 400 GAY BROTHERS, INTIFIED TWO SMALL AREAS ON THE MALE GENOME THAT APPEAR TO BE LKED TO SEXUALY.MICHAEL BAILEY, OM NORTHWTERN UNIVERSY CHIGO, WHO RRIED OUT THE REARCH, SAID"SEXUAL ORIENTATN HAS NOTHG TO DO WH CHOICE. OUR FDGS SUGGT THERE MAY BE GEN AT PLAY AND WE FOUND EVINCE FOR TWO SETS THAT AFFECT WHETHER A MAN IS GAY OR STRAIGHT." SOURCE: WIKIACRDG TO 'SIKH', JATHEDAR AKAL TAKHT (THE SIKH SUPREME INSTUTN) ISSUED A DIRECTIVE UNR THE SEAL OF AKAL TAKHT URGG THE SIKH SANGAT NOT TO ALLOW THE HOLDG OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CEREMONI ANY GUDWARA OF THE WORLD. HE SAID SIKH OF NDUCT DID NOT ALLOW SUCH MARRIAG.THE QUTN "CAN AMRDHARIS BE PRACTICISNG HOMOSEXUALS?" IN A SIKHNET ARTICLE – NIRMAL SGH LLECTED SOME THOUGHTS AND IATED A DIALOGUE WH THE MUNY. THE ARTICLE RAIS THE FOLLOWG QUTNS WH SOME POTENTAIL ANSWERS AS LLECTED BY THE DISCSNS WH SOME MUNY MEMBR.SHOULD WE JO THIS BATE? - WE SHOULD. AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO NOT HAVE TO OVERLY WORRY ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE MEASUR BEG PHED THE WTERN SOCIETI AS LONG AS RELIG GROUPS ARE LEFT EE TO TAKE THEIR OWN CISNS FOR THEIR FAH GROUP.WHAT DO WE DO IF A REQUT IS RECEIVED FOR SAME SEX WEDDG TO BE PERFORMED OM A SIKH UPLE A GURDWARA? HOW ABOUT IF ONE OF THE UPLE IS NON SIKH? REFAL BOTH S WOULD BE A PERFECTLY VALID RPONSE.IF A KNOWN HOMOSEXUAL PERSON REQUTS FOR NVERSN TO BEE A SIKH - ACCEPT AND PERSUA TO LIVE PER REHT.DO WE SOCIALIZE WH THEM? - Y, IF WE LIKE. GURDWARAS MT NOT TREAT THEM DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHERS WHO ARE NOT LIVG PER THE REHT.DO WE LOBBY FOR THEM? Y FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, JTICE AND CIVIC NON DISCRIMATN.DO WE GIVE THEM TIME TO SPEAK THE GURDWARA? ON GURBANI, Y; FENDG THEIR LIFE STYLE OR PROMOTG , NO.HOW ABOUT SEVA, KIRTAN, PAATHH - SEE NO ISSUE EXCEPT THAT THEIR CHOICE AS A PANJ PYARA ULD BE PROBLEMATIC.LEARSHIP ROL GURDWARAS AND SIKH STUTNS - NO HARM, IF SANGAT THKS THEY ARE F FOR THE TASK.PARTICIPATN TERFAH WORK, NFERENC ON SIKH ISSU, JOG JATHAS - Y, AS ORDARY SIKHS, NOT AS GAY SIKH OR ANY OTHER GROUP NOT REPRENTATIVE OF MASTREAM, UNLS THE MEET IS ABOUT LOOKG AT TERNAL DIVERSY ETC AND DISCLOSURE OF SUCH INTY IS REQUIRED.SHOULD WE TRY TO REFORM THEM? - NO, IS A MATTER BT ALT BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR FAI AND IENDS; SANGAT OR GURDWARAS SHOULD E IF ASKED AND THAT TOO AN EMPATHETIC AND HELPFUL MANNER.IS UNNATURAL SEX A S SIKHI? - IS NOT MENTNED. IN ANY SE, SIKHI THE STRS IS MORE ON REGNIZG FAILURE TO LIVE PER HAM AND REHT ON ONE'S OWN AND TO TRY AND MEND CHOIC GOG FORWARD. WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WEAKNS AND SEEK/ACCEPT GUIDANCE TO IMPROVE, WHERE POSSIBLE."THERE SHOULD BE A EP DOWN DISCSN THE MUNY. WE MAY ALSO KEEP MD THAT THE GU HAS SAID THAT 'WH THIS BODY ARE TWO SIBLGS, VICE AND VIRTUE. JOG THE TWO TOGETHER, THE UNIVERSE WAS PRODUCED. SUBDUG BOTH, AND ENTERG TO THE HOME OF THE ONE, THROUGH THE GU'S TEACHGS, WE ARE ABSORBED TUIVE PEACE WE ALL HAVE OUR SHARE OF GUNS AND AVGUNS - MERS & MERS - THE LATTER MOSTLY HIDN OM PUBLIC VIEW BUT NOT OM ONLY IF WE ARE WILLG TO LOOK WH."LET THEREFORE PONR TOGETHER AND LLECTIVELY CHART THE URSE GOG FORWARD. WHAT HAS BEEN SUGGTED IS ONE VIEW AND N BE IMPROVED. THAT HOWEVER WILL HAPPEN ONLY IF WE GET VOLVED AND TALK ABOUT AN EMPATHETIC MANNER, RTRAG OUR JUDGMENTAL STCTS" SAYS THE THOR OM THE "SAME SEX MARRIAG" ARTICLE PUBLISHED ON SIKH WEBSE.ADDNALLY, ONE MT UNRSTAND THAT HOMOSEXUAL PEOPLE ARE ENTLED TO BE EE OM DISCRIMATN. THE INTERNATNAL CONVENTN ON CIVIL AND POLIL RIGHTS PROVIS THAT ALL PEOPLE, CLUDG PEOPLE WHO INTIFY AS HOMOSEXUAL, ARE ENTLED TO NON-DISCRIMATN AND EQUALY BEFORE THE LAW. THE INTERNATNAL CONVENTN ON CIVIL AND POLIL RIGHTS PROVIS THAT EVERYONE SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO EEDOM OF THOUGHT, NSCIENCE AND RELIGN.SHARE5 M READPUBLISHED 2 AUGT 2022 10:03PMUPDATED 4 AUGT 2022 9:39AMBY PREETR GREWALSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREMOST POPULAR
• HOW I LEARNED TO HAVE PRI BOTH MY SIKH & GAY INTY
• VIDEO: BEG SIKH AND GAY WASN’T EASY, BUT THEN HIS MOTHER TOOK UP THE E FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS!

SHEP SGH: “I WANT TO ASSURE OTHER YOUNG QUEER SIKHS THAT ONE COULD BE GAY AND SIKH”

It is also a fah where, for a long time, no large-sle discsns around the topic of homosexualy have taken place wh the muny (for good or bad). I was Sikh, and later I realized I was gay, and both of the were part of me, and I did not thk beg one meant givg up on the other.

But as I started unrstandg my sexualy more, beme part of var onle queer groups and muni, and joed some of the gay datg webs, I started yearng to see gay men who looked like me – wh a turban and beard.

Many profil on gay datg s also mentned “No Sikhs, ” or “No Sardars” [Ed: another term for Sikhs]. Instead of the clean-shaved look that most gay men seemed to have and prefer, my turban and facial hair (along wh the texts the datg s) sowed a doubt my md that no one would ever want to date me, g to a lot of body-image issu that took a while to go. Other gay Sikhs I met had siar experienc both wh the muny and om society at large.

WHY IS HOMOSEXUALY NSIRED A TABOO FOR MANY THE SIKH MUNY?HOMOSEXUALY REMAS A TABOO SUBJECT SOME SOCIETI. DURG FOREIGN MISTER JULIE BISHOP’S RECENT VIS TO THE GLENWOOD SIKH TEMPLE SYDNEY, THE REPRENTATIV OF ATRALIAN SIKH ASSOCIATN NVEYED THEIR MSAGE THAT ‘THE SIKH OF NDUCT DO NOT ALLOW SAME SEX MARRIAG’ AND HENCE THEY OPPOSE ANY SUCH BILL PASSED THE PARLIAMENT. IN THIS REPORT, PREETR GREWAL VERS THE ISSUE RAISED BY A ‘NCERNED’ PUNJABI MOTHER, THE SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND, AND SIKH BELIEFS… SOURCE: UK SPIRTUAL CHANNELTHE PEOPLE OF PUNJABI ORIG ARE OFTEN NSIRED TO BE QUE NSERVATIVE WHEN TO DISCS 'HOMOSEXUALY' OR 'SAME SEX MARRIAG'. PROBABLY ONE OF THE REASONS ULD BE THE VERY NATURE OF THIS SUBJECT – Y, IS DISTASTEFUL TO THEM.ACRDG TO SIKHWIKI - SIKHISIM HAS NO SPECIFIC TEACHGS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY. THE SIKH HOLY BOOK, THE GU GRANTH SAHIB, DO NOT EXPLICLY MENTN HOMOSEXUALY.VIEWS ON HOMOSEXUALY TEND NOT TO BE A PRIMARY NCERN SIKH TEACHGS, AS THE UNIVERSAL GOAL OF A SIKH IS TO HAVE NO HATE OR ANIMOSY TO ANY PERSON, REGARDLS OF RACE, STE, LOR, CREED, GENR, OR SEXUALY.IN THE LAST TWO S, DOZENS OF SCIENTIFIC PAPERS HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED ON THE BLOGIL ORIGS OF HOMOSEXUALY. HOWEVER, THE SUBJECT WH THE TAG LE 'HOMOSEXUALY – NATURAL/GEIC OR SELECTIVE SOCIAL HORT' STILL REMAS NTROVERSIAL.IN A RECENT VIO, A NCERNED UK PUNJABI MOTHER ME FORWARD TO DISCS THAT 'HOMOSEXUALY IS A NATURAL PHENOMENON', AND URGED MUNY TO BE NSIRATE WHILE TACKLG ISSU RELATED TO HOMOSEXUAL PEOPLE.A PUNJABI MOTHER EXPLAS ‘WHAT HOMOSEXUALY IS TO PARENTS’ THERE ARE FEW STUDI PUBLISHED TO SUGGT THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS THE GEN. A STUDY PRENTED AT THE AMERIN ASSOCIATN FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE'S ANNUAL NFERENCE CHIGO 2014, TABLISHED THE EXISTENCE OF GEN THAT CREASE THE CHANCE OF A MAN BEG GAY. THE STUDY, WHICH VOLVED MORE THAN 400 GAY BROTHERS, INTIFIED TWO SMALL AREAS ON THE MALE GENOME THAT APPEAR TO BE LKED TO SEXUALY.MICHAEL BAILEY, OM NORTHWTERN UNIVERSY CHIGO, WHO RRIED OUT THE REARCH, SAID"SEXUAL ORIENTATN HAS NOTHG TO DO WH CHOICE. OUR FDGS SUGGT THERE MAY BE GEN AT PLAY AND WE FOUND EVINCE FOR TWO SETS THAT AFFECT WHETHER A MAN IS GAY OR STRAIGHT." SOURCE: WIKIACRDG TO 'SIKH', JATHEDAR AKAL TAKHT (THE SIKH SUPREME INSTUTN) ISSUED A DIRECTIVE UNR THE SEAL OF AKAL TAKHT URGG THE SIKH SANGAT NOT TO ALLOW THE HOLDG OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE CEREMONI ANY GUDWARA OF THE WORLD. HE SAID SIKH OF NDUCT DID NOT ALLOW SUCH MARRIAG.THE QUTN "CAN AMRDHARIS BE PRACTICISNG HOMOSEXUALS?" IN A SIKHNET ARTICLE – NIRMAL SGH LLECTED SOME THOUGHTS AND IATED A DIALOGUE WH THE MUNY. THE ARTICLE RAIS THE FOLLOWG QUTNS WH SOME POTENTAIL ANSWERS AS LLECTED BY THE DISCSNS WH SOME MUNY MEMBR.SHOULD WE JO THIS BATE? - WE SHOULD. AT THE SAME TIME, WE DO NOT HAVE TO OVERLY WORRY ABOUT THE LEGISLATIVE MEASUR BEG PHED THE WTERN SOCIETI AS LONG AS RELIG GROUPS ARE LEFT EE TO TAKE THEIR OWN CISNS FOR THEIR FAH GROUP.WHAT DO WE DO IF A REQUT IS RECEIVED FOR SAME SEX WEDDG TO BE PERFORMED OM A SIKH UPLE A GURDWARA? HOW ABOUT IF ONE OF THE UPLE IS NON SIKH? REFAL BOTH S WOULD BE A PERFECTLY VALID RPONSE.IF A KNOWN HOMOSEXUAL PERSON REQUTS FOR NVERSN TO BEE A SIKH - ACCEPT AND PERSUA TO LIVE PER REHT.DO WE SOCIALIZE WH THEM? - Y, IF WE LIKE. GURDWARAS MT NOT TREAT THEM DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHERS WHO ARE NOT LIVG PER THE REHT.DO WE LOBBY FOR THEM? Y FOR CIVIL RIGHTS, JTICE AND CIVIC NON DISCRIMATN.DO WE GIVE THEM TIME TO SPEAK THE GURDWARA? ON GURBANI, Y; FENDG THEIR LIFE STYLE OR PROMOTG , NO.HOW ABOUT SEVA, KIRTAN, PAATHH - SEE NO ISSUE EXCEPT THAT THEIR CHOICE AS A PANJ PYARA ULD BE PROBLEMATIC.LEARSHIP ROL GURDWARAS AND SIKH STUTNS - NO HARM, IF SANGAT THKS THEY ARE F FOR THE TASK.PARTICIPATN TERFAH WORK, NFERENC ON SIKH ISSU, JOG JATHAS - Y, AS ORDARY SIKHS, NOT AS GAY SIKH OR ANY OTHER GROUP NOT REPRENTATIVE OF MASTREAM, UNLS THE MEET IS ABOUT LOOKG AT TERNAL DIVERSY ETC AND DISCLOSURE OF SUCH INTY IS REQUIRED.SHOULD WE TRY TO REFORM THEM? - NO, IS A MATTER BT ALT BETWEEN THEM AND THEIR FAI AND IENDS; SANGAT OR GURDWARAS SHOULD E IF ASKED AND THAT TOO AN EMPATHETIC AND HELPFUL MANNER.IS UNNATURAL SEX A S SIKHI? - IS NOT MENTNED. IN ANY SE, SIKHI THE STRS IS MORE ON REGNIZG FAILURE TO LIVE PER HAM AND REHT ON ONE'S OWN AND TO TRY AND MEND CHOIC GOG FORWARD. WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE OUR WEAKNS AND SEEK/ACCEPT GUIDANCE TO IMPROVE, WHERE POSSIBLE."THERE SHOULD BE A EP DOWN DISCSN THE MUNY. WE MAY ALSO KEEP MD THAT THE GU HAS SAID THAT 'WH THIS BODY ARE TWO SIBLGS, VICE AND VIRTUE. JOG THE TWO TOGETHER, THE UNIVERSE WAS PRODUCED. SUBDUG BOTH, AND ENTERG TO THE HOME OF THE ONE, THROUGH THE GU'S TEACHGS, WE ARE ABSORBED TUIVE PEACE WE ALL HAVE OUR SHARE OF GUNS AND AVGUNS - MERS & MERS - THE LATTER MOSTLY HIDN OM PUBLIC VIEW BUT NOT OM ONLY IF WE ARE WILLG TO LOOK WH."LET THEREFORE PONR TOGETHER AND LLECTIVELY CHART THE URSE GOG FORWARD. WHAT HAS BEEN SUGGTED IS ONE VIEW AND N BE IMPROVED. THAT HOWEVER WILL HAPPEN ONLY IF WE GET VOLVED AND TALK ABOUT AN EMPATHETIC MANNER, RTRAG OUR JUDGMENTAL STCTS" SAYS THE THOR OM THE "SAME SEX MARRIAG" ARTICLE PUBLISHED ON SIKH WEBSE.ADDNALLY, ONE MT UNRSTAND THAT HOMOSEXUAL PEOPLE ARE ENTLED TO BE EE OM DISCRIMATN. THE INTERNATNAL CONVENTN ON CIVIL AND POLIL RIGHTS PROVIS THAT ALL PEOPLE, CLUDG PEOPLE WHO INTIFY AS HOMOSEXUAL, ARE ENTLED TO NON-DISCRIMATN AND EQUALY BEFORE THE LAW. THE INTERNATNAL CONVENTN ON CIVIL AND POLIL RIGHTS PROVIS THAT EVERYONE SHALL HAVE THE RIGHT TO EEDOM OF THOUGHT, NSCIENCE AND RELIGN.SHARE5 M READPUBLISHED 2 AUGT 2022 10:03PMUPDATED 4 AUGT 2022 9:39AMBY PREETR GREWALSHARE THIS WH FAY AND IENDSCOPY LKSHAREMOST POPULAR

But spe not beg relig myself, my experienc as a gay man were startg to get shaped bee of my relig inty.

As a 22 year old, I lnched a LGBT e-magaze lled Gaylaxy  2010 to provi a platform for the muny to nnect wh each other. As the edor of Gaylaxy, I me across a small number of gay Sikhs a few onle foms.

HOW I LEARNED TO HAVE PRI BOTH MY SIKH & GAY INTY

I wanted to assure other young queer Sikhs that one uld be gay and Sikh, and live their life openly.

VIDEO: BEG SIKH AND GAY WASN’T EASY, BUT THEN HIS MOTHER TOOK UP THE E FOR LGBTQ RIGHTS!

” Generatg a lot of discsn some Sikh foms onle, I felt empowered to eventually follow up wh an article challengg the homophobia shown by SGPC (the body regulatg Gudwaras India). “At the Delhi Queer Pri 2017, I amplified the msage around my tersectnal inty when along wh the rabow turban, I rried a poster by the group Sarbat that read 'Some Sikhs are gay.

For a fah which has always advoted equaly and stood up for the opprsed, but where s texts are silent on the issue of homosexualy, we need to open up nversatns wh the Sikh fah to safeguard s re and ensure that we do not let homophobia w.

Shep Sgh is the founr and edor--chief of Gaylaxy Magaze, an e-magaze wily read India and South Asia.