India is slowly changing politically and socially in the way it approaches LGBT issues

I am working in India as a volunteer “Organization Development Advisor” and one of the small community based organizations (CBO) I am supporting is a support group for sexual minorities - mainly men who have sex with men (MSM). It is run by that community by men who have founded it out of grass roots need and passion to support others through the tirade of discrimination and stigma faced by sexual minorities in India.

The founder is a very talented and able 25 year old who also happens to be the first gay man to publicly declare his sexual preferences openly in Orissa (the State in which I am working). This cost him dearly in terms of rejection by family and friends - to the point where he became at one point quite suicidal. Through forming the CBO - those experiences are mitigated via a close-knit ‘family’ of like minded individuals supporting each other.

The name of the group is SAKHA. They aim to promote the rights and dignity of sexual minority populations affected by stigma and non-inclusion, and so improve their health and wellbeing. The group has over 500 members - which in itself is quite surprising (not that there are that many but that they are “out” enough to join the group).

India is slowly changing politically and socially in the way it approaches these issues. Having said that - there are certainly references and narratives in the cultural history of the nation where homosexual and transgender behaviour are featured and accepted.

In June 2009, the Indian High Court overturned a 148 year old colonial law banning homosexual relationships. This was a very significant legal decision for advancing the rights of sexual minorities.

In passing down its decision, the Court declared that “It cannot be forgotten that discrimination is antithesis of equality and that it is the recognition of equality which will foster dignity of every individual”.

On June 3rd 2010, SAKHA (in partnership with other groups) spearheaded the holding of the second RAINBOW MARCH in Bhubaneswar (the Capital of Orissa). It was well organized - well attended - and well covered in the local press (sensitively and appropriately as it turns out). This march is a very radical thing to do in this culture - where sexual minorities are largely not accepted or even acknowledged in the main (despite the historical references).

I try and go to SAKHA’s office at least once a week if I can - we are slowly working through a list of enhanced office documentation and policy so as to place the group in a more viable position to attract sustainable funding for external sources. These sources tend to be HIV and AIDS prevention funding as a group such as SAKHA shares a common goal with health and welfare interests to educate its members in the areas of sexual health and positive living to contain HIV infection in what remains a high risk group.

I thoroughly enjoy going to the office - there is a great feel there among the staff - very supportive of each other - and lots of fun going down.

However - a month ago was a sad time - the Secretary of the Board (who was not openly “out” with his family) had been forced to marry three months earlier. He just did not feel he could resist that pressure nor declare his sexuality openly. He became more and more depressed and finally committed suicide. SAKHA as his closest “family” of support attended his funeral and held the Hindu memorial that happens about 10 days after death.

This memorial was a really great experience to attend - at the office - with many community members and partner organizations dropping in to acknowledge this young guy (his picture in the corner - people kneeling in front of it and placing marigolds at the base). Then some Brahmin priests came and did their thing (not sure at all what they thought they were walking into with several cross-dressed transgender ‘ladies’ in attendance! Then we all had temple cooked food on banana leaves - this food is very special and of course delicious - it arrives in clay pots and served out.

At the march - SAKHA’s new service pamphlet was used for the first time (fresh off the press). I want to acknowledge my friend Steve Dunbar in Sydney who agreed to do the design work from afar pro bono. He didn’t know quite what he was agreeing to because now the other two CBOs I work with also want pamphlets (having seen this work)!!! So thanks Steve - appreciated and people here are thrilled with the result.

Paul Drielsma