Essay --

The Gay way of life â€Å"I am Vasu, an MSM (Man having sex with men)†, said a stocky man in a grey suit at Indian Community Welfare Organization (ICWO), a Nongovernmental organization at Anna Nagar, in the south Indian city of Chennai. ICWO works for the uplift of sex workers and homosexuals. Vasu realized his sexuality in school when a male teacher had assaulted him. He was ostracized from home. Few years ago, he joined the organization and now helps other abused gay men. â€Å"Now I am a peer educator here in a team of 300 people. We find men like ourselves and educate them on having protected sex and raise awareness. Lack of awareness makes few of our brethren, who conceive homosexual attraction as an illness, consult doctors to get cured. Most of the doctors are good, but few ask questions about the whole sexual process and abuse us. A large part of the society accepts us but a sadistic few abuse us. After support groups have started burgeoning in the city, our situation is becoming better†, he said. A.J Hariharan, Secretary at ICWO, who has been working towards their uplift and welfare for over a decade, briefed on the mental trauma experienced by them. He also added that homosexual people are found among all age groups in the city. But, fearing the stigma attached , many such men in the city are out in the open but they had not approached any support groups. Some of the weaker people in the homosexual community are also subject to physical and mental abuse. Vasu is one of the many men who are open about their sexuality. However, few men in New Delhi, the capital of the nation, were not as comfortable. They were trying to conceal their identity at the Pride march that happened in November as they had not informed their fa... ... pressure on them continues to exist. Propaganda of non-traditional sexual methods among the minors is liable for prosecution. In Iran, they are liable for imprisonment – sometimes even death. The draconian legislations opposing homosexuality in these countries are supported by the ministers and law makers who find same sex behavior unacceptable as it goes against the Sharia law. The law and the majority of the population in those countries oppose homosexuality in unison. In India, however, the situation is complex. While the society is progressive and supports the rights of homosexuals, the law takes the other course. Also, the government echoed the voice of the citizens and does not welcome the criminalization of same sex behavior. But, would the Indian judiciary go on to uphold Section 377 to join the league of Iran, Russia, Uganda and other African countries?