In a unique meeting, homosexuals and their parents shared confidences and charted the way ahead
In a unique meeting, homosexuals and their parentsu00a0shared confidences and charted the way ahead
On October 23, Tarun Gupta (name changed) gatheredu00a0 courage and told his mom a secret he liked men.
Eight days later, Mrs Gupta and her son were among 130 participants at the Gay Bombay Parents' and relatives' meet.
The meet organised at Liquid Lounge, Charni Road, which saw one of the largest gatherings of parents and relatives of homosexuals in the city, went on for three hours last afternoon.
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In fact, another first at the meeting was the venue a lounge bar a departure from the usual house meetings.
Not gossip anymore
"Ever since the issue of Article 377 came up, it has reached dining rooms in the form of news, not gossip. Everyone has become more aware about the issue.
The rise in the figures at the meeting today can be credited to the media," said Harish Iyer, an event organiser, who is openly gay.
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One such parent Mrs Shah (name changed) took her son to an astrologer, then to a sexologist and finally to a psychiatrist.
"The astrologer said my son would become straight by mid 2006 and asked him to visit a devi temple every Thursday.
The others told me I could change my son's mindset. Finally, I realised nothing worked and accepted him the way he is," she said.
Sobha Doshi's son Shammit told her he was gay over the phone from Atlanta nearly three years ago. "I caught the next flight and went to meet my son and his boyfriend. It was fine," she beamed.
'It's not a crime'
Doshi, a cancer survivor, meets parents to make them realiseu00a0 that being gay is not a crime or a hormonal disorder. "One just needs to accept things.
I could fight my cancer because I accepted it and the same held true for my son. I accepted him the way he was and today we are happy.
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I visit my son and stay with him and his boyfriend in the US for as long as six months at a stretch."
The only concern parents have is of the future. "I want my son to be in a steady relationship, so that he will have a companion and can live his days happily," said a mother.
Another parent added, "I want a partner for my son. And I would search for him the way I would for a daughter-in-law."
In a touching moment of reaffirmation, a sister said she would only marry a guy who accepted her gay brother.
Up Ahead...
The parents and the organisers have also decided to form a forum to support the cause of Section 377 by writing letters, which will be presented to the Supreme Court.
Virkam Dcotor, founder of Gay Bombay and the organiser of the event, said, "Parents' unity will certainly help the community and quite clearly, the overwhelming response, brings us hope."
Article 377
The Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code upheld that unnatural sex was a crime. However, on July 2, 2009 the Delhi High Court read down the article.
This meant that consensual sex among adults was no longer a crime.
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community celebrated the day as their new Independence Day.
However, nearly 14 religious and other fundamentalist groups filed their petition against the verdict and the case is with Supreme Court now.u00a0
Did you know?
Indian laws do not allow the adoption of a child by a gay or lesbian couple
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