Sangama

Sexuality minorities include, but are not limited to, hijras, kothis, doubledeckers, jogappas, lesbians, bisexuals, homosexuals, gays, Female-to-male/male-to-female transsexuals and other transgenders.
- Some common terms can be found here. Please note that this is not an all-inclusive list.

(link to the glossary)

We know that homosexuality exists among people of all classes and castes, in cities and in villages. References to homosexuality can be found in our traditional temple sculptures (eg. Khajuraho). Our ancient text Kama Sutra says that homosexuality is accepted by the Dharma Sashstras (religious texts). Our cultural traditions such as Jogtas, Jogappas, Hijras and Shiva Shaktis as well as Tantra have celebrated homosexuality for hundreds of years. Homosexuality is not a product of Western influence, it was in fact criminalized by our colonial British rules in 1860 through IPC Section 377 (link).

All major professional mental health organizations including the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have clearly and unambiguously stated that lesbianism/homosexuality/bisexuality is not a mental disorder. However in India, sexuality minorities are still pushed by their families to undergo aversion therapy and electric shock treatment at the hands of unethical mental health practitioners. Along with being tremendously ignorant, this is a violation of human rights.

Lesbianism is not an illness. It does not require treatment and it cannot be cured through “marriage to a man” or “giving birth to a child” or through any other therapy. What needs to be cured is social intolerance.

Sexuality minorities from upper/and or middle class have access to information through the mass media and the internet, and tend to identify themselves as being part of the global queer community. People from non-English and/or poor backgrounds do not have access to these spaces, including resources and information. Many of them do not access to private spaces and are forced to have sex in public parks and unhygienic public toilets – which makes them easy targets of police and goonda violence.

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