Strip clubs, gay venu nearby, London landmark buildg to be turned to mosque - India Today

Contents:

• I WAS AN OFFICER IN THE INDIAN ARMY, I'M GAY AND VERY PROUD
• WHEN IAS HBAND’S SEXUALY MA INDIA’S ‘HUMAN COMPUTER’ FIGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS
• LONDON'S LANDMARK BUILDG DOTTED WH STRIP CLUBS, GAY VENU TO TURN TO MOSQUE
• INDIA INC’S ‘CLOSET CEILG’: MOST GAY PEOPLE LEADG DUAL LIV

I WAS AN OFFICER IN THE INDIAN ARMY, I'M GAY AND VERY PROUD

The urt had never regnised same-sex marriage as a ponent of the fundamental right to life and digny unr Article 21 of the Constutn, spe crimalisg homosexualy. While Shakuntala Devi’s extraordary abily to solve plited arhmetil problems wh apparent ease and astonishg speed astound the world, we are equally awe of how and why she led a fight agast the crimalisatn of homosexualy.

WHEN IAS HBAND’S SEXUALY MA INDIA’S ‘HUMAN COMPUTER’ FIGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS

One would prume that the realisatn that she had married a gay man would have turned her world upsi down. It probably was a ep shock, but Shakuntala rose above and ma a genue effort to study the plight of the gay muny India.

While still married to Bannerji, she started speakg to members of the gay muny still ‘ the closet’, same-sex upl livg abroad and India.

LONDON'S LANDMARK BUILDG DOTTED WH STRIP CLUBS, GAY VENU TO TURN TO MOSQUE

Compilg her rearch and terviews her book, ‘The World of Homosexuals, ’ she tried to brg their stggl to the notice of the mastream. Today, the book is also nsired to be one of the first prehensive studi of beg gay India, makg Shakuntala Devi revered as an early pneer morn India’s fight for gay rights. “My only qualifitn for wrg this book is that I am a human beg, ” she had documented, llg for “full and plete acceptance, not jt tolerance and sympathy” for those who intify as gay.

“This nceptn of homosexualy as a ‘ndn’ and the behavur supports merely operat as a form of social ntrol a society which homosexualy is nmned… The time is overdue now, when rather than pretendg that homosexuals don’t exist, or hopg to eradite them by the sheer weight of disapproval or prison sentenc, we face the facts squarely the eye and fd room for them so that they n live unfettered and unmolted, and make their ntributn to the mon good of muny. While Shakuntala Devi is renowned across the world for her numeril prows, we firmly believe that her story of g to terms wh her hband’s closeted sexualy and beg a csar for gay rights serv to be highlighted and appreciated so much more. (Eded by Gayatri Mishra).

In a siar ve, I don't see my future workplace (or even India self) beg a place where openly gay folks n live a life ee of harassment and csant quiry. Recently, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre Government on a plea by two gay upl seekg regnn of same-sex marriage unr the Special Marriage Act, 1954.

INDIA INC’S ‘CLOSET CEILG’: MOST GAY PEOPLE LEADG DUAL LIV

Decrimalisatn: The regnn of same-sex marriage followed earlier landmark lgs cludg one clarg privacy a fundamental right and another that crimalised homosexualy 2018. Margalisatn: LGBTQ+ dividuals may experience multiple forms of margalizatn - such as sexism, poverty, discrimatn, social unacceptabily or other factors – alongsi homophobia or transphobia that negatively impact their mental health.

After India's Supreme Court crimalised homosexualy, many have raised the qutn of takg a step towards legalisg same-sex marriage. Gay and lbian upl are also not allowed to have children born wh the help of an Indian surrogate mother. Platforms like Gaysi and Gaylaxy have helped rve out spac for LGBTQ+ people to teract, share and llaborate.

In urban India, where social media and rporate iativ have created creasg awarens of LGBT rights, the scenar looks more upbeat for gay men than for transgenr people or lbian women.