LGBTQ community hits out at Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar

Karan Johar will soon release his memoir titled ‘An Unsuitable Boy'. File Pic/Getty Images

Far from being a moment of celebration, Karan Johar's veiled coming out has led to the popular filmmaker and host of Koffee with Karan being bitterly roasted both on social media and among the LGBTQ community.

LGBTQ activist Pallav Patankar

Karan, while promoting his newly released memoir ‘An Unsuitable Boy', said that while he is the poster boy for homosexuality in India, the reason he is not openly coming out about his sexual orientation is because he doesn't want to deal with FIRs or be jailed.

LGBTQ activists have pointed out that Karan's remarks were misinformed and will only reinforce the existing fear among others who are in the closet.

'Let down'
Noted LGBTQ activist Pallav Patankar said "If an uneducated person in a remote Indian village comes and tells me that they are scared of coming out, I'd take it, but this coming from somebody with a stature as big as Karan's, I feel let down. He should be coming out as an empowered and powerful individual, and actually make a difference for those helpless people living in villages. People who were earlier considering coming out will now sit and think twice, worried that an FIR might be involved - but this is baseless. You won't be arrested for coming out."

Mayank Shekhar: I am gay, that Karan didn't say

What Karan was referring to was Section 377 (unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes homosexual intercourse. However, it does not criminalise sexual orientation.

‘Will support him'
Pallav added that even if Karan faces consequences for coming out, the community will stand strong with him.

"We have taken enough pangas for the community. Even if he ends up landing in jail, we will come out in support, go to jail along with him and stand by him, even if he doesn't want to come out
and support the community," said Pallav.

The Humsafar Trust, which is extremely active in the community, was also disappointed at the misinformed statement of the director.

The trust issued a statement that said: "To come out is Karan's personal choice, but he should not misinform. His present statement encourages homophobia and gay bashing to bully the LGBTW community in private and public spaces."

However, a member from the trust also presented another side to the debate: "When Section 377 was introduced, the extortion and ragging cases suddenly increased, as people thought that our community was scared now and could be taken advantage of. It seems like a small thing, but for someone as influential and famous as Karan, things could go terribly wrong."