Re: Gay pride only goes so far in India'

[Guest guest]

Dear Editor,

Re: /message/12400

I find Parvez Sharma's article and the comments on it surreal. Most of us in the

India Network for Sexual Minorities (INFOSEM) have been discussing, quite

soberly and seriously, how exactly we should be " helping " the Saharanpur guys

out of this dilemma caused by homophobes compounded by bad reporting.

However.what really intrigued me was Pravez' helpless attitude.

Being one of his first counselors and presently a rarely seen friend (I hope), I

find some of his comments rather disinterested commentaries from afar, not

involved nor intense ways of finding a solution to the problems back home.

I doubt very much if the reporting of the Times is too far from the piece by

Parvez in The Guardian.

For those of us who live in India as homosexuals, in or out of the closet, some

of the issues that came up on the INFOSEM elist were:

How do we help these guys get out of the dilemma of being " shamed " and " outed " ?.

What exactly was their " crime " ? And how do we fight for their cause?

Was it right to hold a gay party in a Dharmashala, of all places, with liquor

being served?

What steps do we take against the Times and Amar-Ujala? (writing to the Press

Council etc).

How do we use this to empower small town or big town boys get over similar

situations (by standing up to bullying by homophobes or cowering throughout your

life?)

Trying to nmake people like Parvez see the subtle but obvious connection between

Gay Prides and small town homosexual existence. (I myself have given up going to

Pride events).

How to link with with movements that help us help ourselves?

All these and many other practical solutions were foeremost of the e-list rather

than the sorry question of what " Gay " means in the Indian context.

Finally, being a little sarcastic and sardonic, could I ask Parvez why there are

so many " gay, homo, kothi, hijra, lesbisexual " groups openly moving about in big

and small towns in India (we have one group registering every six months and

applying for membership in INFOSEM) while there are none in Pakistan or

Bangladesh?

I mean, even Nepal and Sri Lanka have openly homosexual groups not not Pakistan

or Bangladesh? Is there are connection to these " objective factors " ? (as a

Marxist would say).

It is these questions i would put to Parvez without bringing up his film' " Jihad

of Love " or the fact that I have been openly homosexual for over 40 long years

in the citadel of Hinduism's right wing paradise, Mumbai.

Ashok Row Kavi

e-mail: <arowkavi@...>