12.12.13

Gay Hind


In the run up to the forthcoming general elections will Rahul Gandhi or Narendra Modi, or for that matter Arvind Kejriwal, issue an open letter to the lesbian and gay community in India promising decriminalization, recognition of partnerships, equality in getting spousal benefits and adoption rights?
While parties that thrive on conservative beliefs will shy away from removing barriers that discriminate against sexual minorities, any liberal and forward looking party that claims to swear by modernity should come out and support the end of criminalization and discrimination.
Although there are no firm estimates, the government had told the Supreme Court last year that there were about 25 lakh gays in India. But because of the social stigma attached to homosexuality in India — even within families, forget the outside world — most gays choose to not come out of the closet. Which is why certain other estimates that place the community at around 7-13% of the population appear to be closer to reality.
Taking just the total adult population of India — 18-plus, which is voting age — of 762 million, that would put gays at close to 100 million at the upper end of the range. Which is a significant vote-bank, given that India’s largest minority community is about 170 million large.
A look at countries with a long history of struggle for LGBT rights, supported by a largely liberal minded public, proves this. Such has been the force of this public opinion that the UN issued a landmark report in 2011 that showed widespread violence and discrimination based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. Ninety-four member states of the UN have sponsored the declaration in support of LGBT rights in either the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council, or in both.
In the US, despite personal reservations, Barack Obama took a pro-gay position in both his election campaigns, hoping to woo a huge vote bank of anything between 6 to 35 million people. And, he was successful, rallying massive support from the homosexual community.
Due to continued pressure from not just the vocal LGBT community, but also from a very large liberal-democratic support base, Obama has taken several measures despite periodic vacillation through his two terms. And he has actively mobilized public opinion so that he may push through measures that need Congress support.
Homosexuality is legal in all European Union states.
Thanks to the clout acquired by sexual minorities in various countries, same-sex marriage has been legalized in seven EU states while 14 European countries have legalized civil unions or other forms of recognition for same-sex couples.
Opinion polls clearly show that treating the LGBT community as a vote bank is not merely because of their own numbers. It is because of a much wider support that they get from society at large.
A survey on global acceptance of homosexuality published in June this year by the Pew Research Center found that there is broad acceptance of homosexuality in North America, the European Union and much of Latin America. However, rejection of homosexuality is equally widespread in West Asia and in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in parts of Asia and in Russia.
Views of homosexuality are particularly positive in Spain (88% say it should be accepted by society), Germany (87%), Czech Republic (80%), Canada (80%), Australia (79%), France (77%), Britain (76%), Argentina (74%), Italy (74%) and Philippines (73%). An Observer poll in 2008 showed that over 55% Britons support gay marriages. In France, 62% people support gay marriages according to an Angus Reid poll.
The Indian gay-lesbian community has still a long way to go. If any lessons can be learnt from the West, building public opinion in their support will galvanize the political class like nothing else. Now that the regressive shadow of criminality has once again fallen on homosexuality, issues of equal rights can be raised and society persuaded to become more just and tolerant.

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