21 September,2011 07:53 AM IST | | Vatsala Shrangi
Says a member of LGBT community, reacting to MiD DAY's report of a 19-year-old being detained by cops after two gay youths went missing
The frustration is out in the open. MiD DAY had reported yesterday how a 19-year-old gay youth Azad was detained by cops in Ghaziabad after two young men from the locality with homosexual tendencies had gone missing. Police are planning to conduct raids in Delhi, particularly at Central Park in Connaught Place, which Azad has reported as a meeting point of members of his community.
Equality on paper? Anjali Gopalanu00a0says such issues have to be
dealt with at a family level. (Below) One of the missing youths had been found by cops and he claimed he ran away from home when his parents thrashed him after finding out about his sexual orientation. Now, members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community have reacted sharply to the incident, blaming society at large of being hypocritical.
MiD DAY's page 1 from yesterday.
"Even after the historic 377 judgment by Delhi High Court decriminalising LGBT relationships, the society and its so-called hypocrites never let them be. This is one such case, where the parents have beaten up the guy for being gay. There can be better ways of discussions and open forums for members of society to talk about the issue rather than treating them inhumanly," said Aditya Bandopadhyaya, a gay activist and lawyer.
Bandopadhyaya being one of the organisers of the queer pride parade held last year on 28th November is hopeful that over the years, people might change their attitude. The parade this year will be held on the last Sunday of November.u00a0Hafiz Ali, another member said, "I am saddened by the incident. I don't think we will ever be accepted in this pretentious city. I have faced humiliation and even physical threats at my workplace."
"This is one of the many incidents that have been taking place for all these years. This has to be resolved first at the family level so that acceptance comes in with their support.u00a0 Humiliation in the public place is violative of their rights as well as the SC judgment. This is a country where people's caliber is judged on their respective sexuality, which is completely illogical," said Anjali Gopalan, founder and executive director of the Naz foundation, an NGO working for gay rights. Famous photographer Atul Kasbekar said, "Every individual should have the freedom expression, not depending on their sexual orientation."
