Two months ago, some twenty people 'marched' from Patna's historic
Gandhi Maidan down to the busy Dak Bungalow crossing, making quite a
din. It was a blink-and-you miss it parade of 20 people who came out in
Patna's first ever 'Gay Pride Parade'. In the hot June sun, the beating
of a 'dholak' and loud Bhojpuri music blaring from a rickshaw made
passers-by stop. It was like one of those rowdy rustic weddings, with
hip shaking 'laundas', or 'dancing she-males', strutting their stuff.
But this one featured masks and rainbow banners that proclaimed Gay
Pride. "Proud 2 B Gay," said one.
This puny procession, ignored by most of the mainstream media, was historic for the Indian LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) movement. The one small step in Patna may spark a giant leap for the non-heterosexual community, said a proud Bihari.
The organizer was 'Project Pehchan', currently functioning in four towns: Aurangabad, Sasaram, Bhabua and Jehanabad. A local Patna group called 'Dostana Safar' was also involved. In the words of Soni, a participant, "It is time we say that we exist, and we need to be heard, and respected."
They were there to tell Patna they would no longer remain invisible. As one told a local videographer: "It's not about whether I call myself gay, queer or transgender. It's about my right to live my life happily, and with dignity. Not to be teased and called filthy names by others."
The turnout at the 'Patna Pride' was poor, says 25-year-old Ramesh, a self-identified gay man and part of a facebook group that has over 850 members, because it was held on a hot weekday afternoon, and 'Project Pehchan' target group were 'kothis' and transgenders from the working classes. The self-identified middle class gays stayed away. "They don't want to mix openly with the 'kothis'. They would not like to be identified as gay and face unwanted problems. Patna is still a small place, not like Delhi."
The malls and multiplexes are great places for the guys to meet up. And it's not all about making out, says Sunee Arya, a 20-year-old college student from Ara. "It's nice to meet and talk, make new friends, and see how it works out. I have three friends who like to watch animation and 3-D films, thanks to the facebook group," he says.
Aman is 35 and a software professional. From a conservative family, he was married at 20, even before he had finished college. He says he fell in love with another guy a year after his marriage. "I had never felt for my wife or for any girl the same feeling I felt for him," he explained. He leads a double life: the 'husband' in his ancestral village and the 'wife' to his very macho, gym-toned partner.
"Sexual orientation is not a choice; it's inborn," says Rahul, who works with the HIV AIDS Alliance that gives technical support to groups such as Pehchan. "Thanks to reading down of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, we can openly reach youngsters who were 'underground' with proper HIV, AIDS information and interventions for sexual health," he adds.
Out of some 25,000 calls taken by the Sambad HIV 'Helpline 2575757' in Patna, 124 calls were from non-heterosexual people, sources said. "Gay people are afraid of being laughed at or ridiculed if they call, but our helpline staff are well trained and do not discriminate," says Ashok Tiwary, the local coordinator.
Bihar is marching along with the times. Patna University recently had a session on 'Queer Literature' at a refresher course for English lecturers. The Aasra Charitable Trust at New Patliputra often screens gay and lesbian-themed films and documentaries as part of its film study circle. "Queer issues are human rights issues, and non-heterosexual people, just like other minorities in India, have a right to be understood and heard," says an active member of the discussion group.
"Educated people in Bihar may accept being gay is not unnatural, but they won't say it out loud," says Chetan. "There is still a long way to go. First you have to be seen. Then you will have to be counted. Then you will be targeted. No rights were ever gained without sacrifice," he adds.
This puny procession, ignored by most of the mainstream media, was historic for the Indian LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) movement. The one small step in Patna may spark a giant leap for the non-heterosexual community, said a proud Bihari.
The organizer was 'Project Pehchan', currently functioning in four towns: Aurangabad, Sasaram, Bhabua and Jehanabad. A local Patna group called 'Dostana Safar' was also involved. In the words of Soni, a participant, "It is time we say that we exist, and we need to be heard, and respected."
They were there to tell Patna they would no longer remain invisible. As one told a local videographer: "It's not about whether I call myself gay, queer or transgender. It's about my right to live my life happily, and with dignity. Not to be teased and called filthy names by others."
The turnout at the 'Patna Pride' was poor, says 25-year-old Ramesh, a self-identified gay man and part of a facebook group that has over 850 members, because it was held on a hot weekday afternoon, and 'Project Pehchan' target group were 'kothis' and transgenders from the working classes. The self-identified middle class gays stayed away. "They don't want to mix openly with the 'kothis'. They would not like to be identified as gay and face unwanted problems. Patna is still a small place, not like Delhi."
The malls and multiplexes are great places for the guys to meet up. And it's not all about making out, says Sunee Arya, a 20-year-old college student from Ara. "It's nice to meet and talk, make new friends, and see how it works out. I have three friends who like to watch animation and 3-D films, thanks to the facebook group," he says.
Aman is 35 and a software professional. From a conservative family, he was married at 20, even before he had finished college. He says he fell in love with another guy a year after his marriage. "I had never felt for my wife or for any girl the same feeling I felt for him," he explained. He leads a double life: the 'husband' in his ancestral village and the 'wife' to his very macho, gym-toned partner.
"Sexual orientation is not a choice; it's inborn," says Rahul, who works with the HIV AIDS Alliance that gives technical support to groups such as Pehchan. "Thanks to reading down of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, we can openly reach youngsters who were 'underground' with proper HIV, AIDS information and interventions for sexual health," he adds.
Out of some 25,000 calls taken by the Sambad HIV 'Helpline 2575757' in Patna, 124 calls were from non-heterosexual people, sources said. "Gay people are afraid of being laughed at or ridiculed if they call, but our helpline staff are well trained and do not discriminate," says Ashok Tiwary, the local coordinator.
Bihar is marching along with the times. Patna University recently had a session on 'Queer Literature' at a refresher course for English lecturers. The Aasra Charitable Trust at New Patliputra often screens gay and lesbian-themed films and documentaries as part of its film study circle. "Queer issues are human rights issues, and non-heterosexual people, just like other minorities in India, have a right to be understood and heard," says an active member of the discussion group.
"Educated people in Bihar may accept being gay is not unnatural, but they won't say it out loud," says Chetan. "There is still a long way to go. First you have to be seen. Then you will have to be counted. Then you will be targeted. No rights were ever gained without sacrifice," he adds.
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