The last 10 days have brought out some rather interesting discussions, debates, rallies and lots and lots of protests towards being Homosexual in today's world. California voters banned same-sex marriage last week; Gay-lesbians and their supporters staged a protest in downtown DC; Indian Cinema had a timely release of its entertaining comedy - Dostana - revolving around two hottest Bollywood dudes who pretend to be a gay couple. Another related report features an Israeli couple who had a son through a surrogate mother in India.
So while this issue of homosexuality has turned many a eyebrows among those prior to Gen X, in current day and age, it has become an accepted norm of existence. Or has it really?? Is it considered a Taboo or has the world become more understanding of the gay-lesbian lifestyle - as seen in the fictitious moments between Ross and Carol in Friends? Is being homosexual immoral? What is it about homosexuality that is considered a stigma in our society? Is it turning against the law of nature?
In ancient India, there have been several references to acts that were acknowledged to a certain extent. For example, Lord Shiva, a revered idol in Hinduism, has been understood to assume female form. The temples of Khajuraho depict homosexuality in a sensual and artistic manner. A separate community of individuals commonly known as the Eunuchs (males who express themselves as woman) have been part of ancient India as much as they are also part of today's society. According to the Hindu mythology - Mahabharat - Arjuna dressed as a Eunuch for a year as a curse. Again, they were (and still are) considered most non-threatening and most often, good luck during marriages and new-borns. Infact, Eunuchs were appointed as close confidantes of Queens and Princesses because they were considered harmless and yet able to tend to the needs.
The culture of today's India is quite androgynous, in the sense that everywhere we look, there is a display of affection among people: men walking in the city with arms around others' shoulders, one woman sitting on another woman's lap or simply holding hands and strolling by. This type of behaviour is seen more as being 'homosocial' and clearly acceptable in the society yet it get incredibly risky to assume such acts as notions of sexual intentions. On the other hand, there is this belief that if you are Indian, you cannot be homosexual! Remember Jaz in Bend It Like Beckham where she finds out her close friend is a gay and she exclaims, "How can you be gay? You are Indian!"
So what is being Indian got to do with the preference of intimacy? Infact, the concept of homosexuality is not even known in the circuit outside of urban India. Hence, it must have come as a surprise (or a shock?) when several months ago, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of Rajpipla in Gujarat admitted the fact that he was gay much to the dismay of his royal circle, so much so that he was disowned by his own mother. He leads his own personal life and has now started a nonprofit organization Lakshya Trust, fighting the cause of people affected by HIV and AIDS. But what happens to his wife to whom he was married thinking he'd become 'normal' and that 'no one would know'! On the other hand, it is commendable to come out in the open and admit this reality instead of leading a life of falsehood and simply denying the true behaviour. Back in Xavier's, I had a gay friend who believed that for him it was more important to be identified as a husband and a father than moving to the other side of being called gay. So is being gay really out of choice?
I am not supportive of homosexuality neither am I against it. I fully respect the viewpoint that homosexuality is not right but I do not personally believe that. We live in a world where individuals ought to have the right to their own sexual personality which is merely a single of all characteristics that truly define them. Of course, I wary of situations if my nieces and nephew were to talk to me about this. Infact, I may not be as surprised that they are already aware of what gay means even before realizing what sexuality is. Now that to me is surely unacceptable and dread of such alarming situations.
I end this post with a link on:
Third Toilets in Thai Schools
I cannot imagine such a thing in India for sure but also makes me wonder whether those boys were mocked at...and how bad?
So while this issue of homosexuality has turned many a eyebrows among those prior to Gen X, in current day and age, it has become an accepted norm of existence. Or has it really?? Is it considered a Taboo or has the world become more understanding of the gay-lesbian lifestyle - as seen in the fictitious moments between Ross and Carol in Friends? Is being homosexual immoral? What is it about homosexuality that is considered a stigma in our society? Is it turning against the law of nature?
In ancient India, there have been several references to acts that were acknowledged to a certain extent. For example, Lord Shiva, a revered idol in Hinduism, has been understood to assume female form. The temples of Khajuraho depict homosexuality in a sensual and artistic manner. A separate community of individuals commonly known as the Eunuchs (males who express themselves as woman) have been part of ancient India as much as they are also part of today's society. According to the Hindu mythology - Mahabharat - Arjuna dressed as a Eunuch for a year as a curse. Again, they were (and still are) considered most non-threatening and most often, good luck during marriages and new-borns. Infact, Eunuchs were appointed as close confidantes of Queens and Princesses because they were considered harmless and yet able to tend to the needs.
The culture of today's India is quite androgynous, in the sense that everywhere we look, there is a display of affection among people: men walking in the city with arms around others' shoulders, one woman sitting on another woman's lap or simply holding hands and strolling by. This type of behaviour is seen more as being 'homosocial' and clearly acceptable in the society yet it get incredibly risky to assume such acts as notions of sexual intentions. On the other hand, there is this belief that if you are Indian, you cannot be homosexual! Remember Jaz in Bend It Like Beckham where she finds out her close friend is a gay and she exclaims, "How can you be gay? You are Indian!"
So what is being Indian got to do with the preference of intimacy? Infact, the concept of homosexuality is not even known in the circuit outside of urban India. Hence, it must have come as a surprise (or a shock?) when several months ago, Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of Rajpipla in Gujarat admitted the fact that he was gay much to the dismay of his royal circle, so much so that he was disowned by his own mother. He leads his own personal life and has now started a nonprofit organization Lakshya Trust, fighting the cause of people affected by HIV and AIDS. But what happens to his wife to whom he was married thinking he'd become 'normal' and that 'no one would know'! On the other hand, it is commendable to come out in the open and admit this reality instead of leading a life of falsehood and simply denying the true behaviour. Back in Xavier's, I had a gay friend who believed that for him it was more important to be identified as a husband and a father than moving to the other side of being called gay. So is being gay really out of choice?
I am not supportive of homosexuality neither am I against it. I fully respect the viewpoint that homosexuality is not right but I do not personally believe that. We live in a world where individuals ought to have the right to their own sexual personality which is merely a single of all characteristics that truly define them. Of course, I wary of situations if my nieces and nephew were to talk to me about this. Infact, I may not be as surprised that they are already aware of what gay means even before realizing what sexuality is. Now that to me is surely unacceptable and dread of such alarming situations.
I end this post with a link on:
Third Toilets in Thai Schools
I cannot imagine such a thing in India for sure but also makes me wonder whether those boys were mocked at...and how bad?
