g_b Pink Collar Crime

[moderator]

 On 16 December, D, 25, a Kolkata resident, was returning home, from the 
fashion boutique he owns, when some people on the street threw eggs at him. A 
day or two earlier, a group of approximately seven men from the neighbourhood 
had blocked his way, demanding to know how much they would have to pay him in 
return for sexual favours. He was also groped on the street. D, or Diya as he 
is known among friends, is a man who is feminine in his ways. Sometimes, though 
not often, he likes to dress like a woman and wear make-up. He is a 
transgender, in love with another man. 
 
 The attacks on Diya come less than a week after the Supreme Court (SC) verdict 
overturning a 2009 Delhi High Court (HC) decision that decriminalised 
homosexuality. The apex court verdict, passed on 11 December, reinstated 
section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) that criminalises sexual activities 
“against the order of nature”. 
 The section is a relic from the colonial age, introduced in the 1860s, and 
criminalises any kind of sexual act that is not peno-vaginal, including anal 
and oral sex. The SC held that Section 377 of the IPC does not suffer from the 
vice of unconstitutionality and the declaration made by the Division Bench of 
the High court is legally unsustainable. The apex court added that amending or 
repealing Section 377 should be a matter left to Parliament, not the judiciary. 


 “Section 377 violates one’s Constitutional right of equality. The Supreme 
Court in its verdict overlooks the scope for judicial laws, an example of which 
is the Vishaka Guidelines to prevent sexual harassment of women at the 
workplace. Such laws remain valid till Parliament has made the necessary 
changes to existing laws,” says lawyer Vikas Gupta. The Centre has filed a 
review petition against the SC ruling. 
 “Section 377 is not just directed at homosexuals. A study conducted by the 
Family Planning Association of India has found that a good number of 
heterosexual couples in India engage in anal sex. So, under provisions of 
section 377, they too can face criminal proceedings. Besides, oral sex, which 
is a part of the sexual repertoire of all people  irrespective of their sexual 
orientation and has been mentioned in the Kamasutra in great detail, is also 
illegal as per section 377,” points out Ashok Row Kavi, a Mumbai-based activist 
and chair of the Humsafar Trust, a homosexual community-based organisation.
 At a recent interview to Hindustan Times, author Vikram Seth had exclaimed, 
“By the way, you are talking to a criminal,” a reference to the SC verdict and 
his own sexuality. Seth is gay. Had the Supreme Court heard Seth, it would have 
noted perhaps that Seth was not a criminal, unless caught engaging in 
non-peno-vaginal sex.


 Decoding section 377
  “Section 377 does not criminalise homosexuality. You cannot be arrested for 
being gay. But you can be arrested for engaging in non-peno-vaginal sex,” 
explains Arvind Narrain, activist, lawyer and founder member of Alternative Law 
Forum. Which is to say, you can be a homosexual, but you cannot engage in 
homosexual sex. Explains Kavi, “Not all homosexual couples are into penetrative 
sex. But if a homosexual couple does want penetrative sex, it has to be either 
anal or oral sex. So that lands them immediately under the purview of section 
377.” Agrees Narrain, “There is a close link between the act and the identity.” 
 Also the usage and interpretation of the section leaves huge scope for misuse 
and harassment of the lesbian gay bisexual transgender (LGBT) community. “The 
act, under section 377, is a non-bailable cognizable offence. Which means the 
police can break into any house and pick up a couple they suspect of being 
homosexuals under the claim of preventing a criminal activity. Since it is a 
non-bailable offence, getting the person out will depend on the wish and 
attitude of a judge. One can stay in jail for months on end once arrested,” 
says lawyer and activist Aditya Bondyopadhyay. 


 Bondyopadhyay remembers a case in Lucknow where seven people were arrested 
under section 377. While Bondyopadhyay’s efforts succeeded in getting four of 
them out in 47 days, one person languished in lock-up for eight months. Finally 
the charges against him were dropped. Thus, while the Supreme Court may claim 
that only 200 people have been prosecuted under section 377 in the more than 
100 years that it has been in existence, cases of harassment are many.
 Even when “unnatural sex” has not been engaged in or proved, the police has 
been known to harass. “There have been cases where two boys were seen holding 
hands or kissing and been harassed by the police. They either beat them up or 
threaten them with arrest and demand money to let them off. Demands for sexual 
favours in return of non-prosecution are also common,” says Kolkata-based 
activist Pawan Dhall. 
 A case in point is that of Pushkin Chandra, whose murder in 2004 was widely 
publicised in the media and he

Re: g_b Taking down Ramdev

[Aditya Bondyopadhyay]

Tuhin, no sarcasm, in support of what you wrote!

There is a law called "Drugs and Magic Remedies Act" which can and should be 
invoked against Babaji. For this we need volunteers willing to go to Babaji's 
Ashram and seeking to get cured. If Babaji Fails or uses methods that fall foul 
of the law an FIR against him can be filed.

Also, in case Babaji fails, the people concerned can file cases against him 
under the IPC (Section 420/120B), as well as go to the Consumer Court seeking 
civil damages.

Just some thoughts.

Best regards and love,
Aditya Bondyopadhyay


On 16-Dec-2013, at 11:29 AM, Tuhin Roy  wrote:

>
> Disclaimer:  I am a legal illiterate, so whatever I am writing is in good 
> faith and intention. So people, especially guys like Aditya should not make 
> sarcasm out of my email. I am actually seeking a legal opinion. The idea a 
> may not be the best or better or even good, but is not trash-able.
>
> So far we tried to convince that we are not different from others, we are not 
> wrong doers, we are not wrong in anything, not committing crime. What makes 
> me think that why we never tried to prove them wrong in the eyes of people. 
> Their logic, arguments can easily by toppled over by Science and other facts.
>
> Ramdev, who is calling it a disease, is also claiming to cure it. Medically 
> it is absolutely wrong. Ethically it is wrong. But isn't it a crime as per 
> IPC to spread fear and wrong propaganda among the people? Please clarify. His 
> methods of treatment can also cause mental distress, I guess.
>
> Medical science has accepted it as an orientation, a normal thing that a % of 
> population have, they have omitted it from the list of disorder. Then how 
> come they are tolerating the nonsense of this homophobic yoga guru. Why can't 
> they challenge him legally? Why can't this homophobe show the way to cure 
> this, he claims? Why can't it be dealt scientifically, legally and prove him 
> wrong? He is directly defaming the helping psychiatrists and challenging 
> their ways of dealing people.
>
> I understand it is not easy to take him down given his popularity and his 
> followers. We should be behind the curtain and let the medical professionals 
> especially psychiatrists trying to help us take it up legally. One may argue 
> that it is our fight, we should take it forward. Agreed, but sometimes you 
> need to take your hand around your head to hold ear.
>
> If we are in the front row, we might loose people's support as this homophobe 
> will say that we are conspiring against him. We cannot ignore the mob. Don't 
> forget the protest against "Nirasharam" arrest. Here he was actually guilty 
> of a heinous crime. But in case of gay rights, people may come on street as 
> if it another freedom fight against something which is maligning Indian 
> culture, which could be detrimental (remember Lokpal movement, Nirbhaya 
> movement, movement against Ramdev's camp disruption in Delhi in the middle of 
> night etc). If such mob appears against us with opposition supporting them it 
> will be a disaster.
>
> As the popularity of Modi is increasing, it worries me that these fascist 
> Hindu right groups will come against it. I am not talking about other 
> religion in view of the fact that Modi may become the next PM. When it 
> happens other groups do not have to sweat it out to permanently damage the 
> gay rights. So it's time to take one these powerful people down one by one by 
> logic, law and science.
>
> Just a thought, let me know your opinion.
>
> Please no sarcasm or bad mouth.
>
>
> Regards,
> TR
>
>

g_b Comments on Jamat-e-islami-Hind website on their news of Ulema supporting #Sec377

[Aditya Bondyopadhyay]

Comments on Jamat-e-islami-Hind website on their news of Ulema supporting 
#Sec377



22 December 2013 at 09:46
Dear All,
I have always said that no matter what lunatics like Ramdev and Subramanyam 
Swami say, or what political opportunists and fascists like the Samajwadi Party 
or the BJP say, there is hope for India.

The website of the Jamat-e-islami-India carried a news about the ulema and a 
few other religious leaders supporting Section 377 IP{C being reinstated and 
retained. What heartens me are the comments that the statement has received, 
and I cut paste some of them below for all of you.

-Aditya Bondyopadhyay

*

Author: Iblish-basher
Comment:
As if your religions have ever considered the rights of women. Mind your own 
religious business and stop putting your nose in other people's personal space. 
You know nothing about religions since you know nothing about humans. and who 
are you btw to talk about india's traditions?  India's tradition is accepting 
everyone. Muslims and christians are not indian if the indians never accepted 
them. Hindus (aryans) arent indian if the non-aryans never accepted them. India 
is a land for all and not just some bigots' playground.
Indian tradition, right? Why you nitwits oppose Salman Rushdie's visit to 
India? Isn't 'Atithi devo bhaba' not indian culture? stop using indian culture 
as an excuse for your pettiness whenever it suits you.

***

Author: ohboy
Comment:
the very fact that you men sit there, talking into those mics, an instrument 
invented by a western individual. the fact that you preach hatred into peoples 
minds and souls IN ENGLISH ALL ALONG, BTW also shows your double standards. And 
let's not even start on the womens rights issues here because a) this has 
NOTHING to do with it and b) because unlike Indian neanderthals, the western 
culture does not treat women like total garbage. And just btw, what's really 
'lame' (your words, not mine) is actually Polygamy, where in a greedy man must 
have all the women his heart desires since his religion allows him to do so. As 
opposed to two individuals loving each other till the end of time for who they 
really are, despite what their gender might be. And also, I understand that 
your blind religious faith may impair your ability to comprehend or judge with 
an open mind but if you actually read, homosexuality was legal in our country 
before these very westerners who's ways you so despise now came and set up the 
anti homosexuality laws. and now look at where they are and look at where we 
are- still miles to go before we match up to them. so dont say these are 
western concepts because the only thing western about this concept is the law 
that makes it illegal. it's so sad your religions dont teach you love, respect 
and kindness and also forbids you from judging. So very sad.




Author: Sylwia
Comment:
Dear Shafiq...perhaps you can extend those human values towards people who are 
different from yourself. You could try that for a change. Your fear is what 
brings you to this confused state of mind. Are you afraid that homosexuality is 
communicable by touch or sight? There shouldn't be a straight person in this 
world who should be afraid of homosexuality. Unless that urge is within you, 
you really have nothing to fear.Why are you so afraid? Is it possible for a 
homosexual union to impact upon a heterosexual couple's life? In what way can 
it impact upon you? Are you short of suitors for your daughter or son? 
Homosexuality is a part of the human experience. it has been there and will 
continue to be there even beyond this stupid ruling. No court or government has 
a right to spy into our bedrooms. Religious leaders have a right to lead their 
congregation towards a certain way of life and we can choose to follow or 
not..but no religious leader should ever have the power to enforce that into 
law and to force it upon those who do not even believe in those values. 
Historically whenever religion and politics have mixed we have ended up with 
the worst cases of human rights violations and violence committed in the name 
of "God". Its time that these atrocities committed in the name of God were 
stopped.

**

Author: Jp Gagliardo
Comment:
You should be ashamed to call yourselves representatives of any religion.  
Shame upon all of you for super- imposing your own personal biased views in the 
name of the religions you falsely represent.  The founders of your orders would 
be spinning in their graves knowing the inhuman hatred that lies underneath 
your "spiritual" guise. How dare you sit in judgment of any man or woman?  How 
dare you use religious beliefs in such a perverse way that you would corrupt 
the purity of the message of hope that each of your religions convey. You all 
know in your hearts that spiritual teachings cannot be restricted to one person 
and not another.  Yet you would tailor the good words of your teachers and 
founders to suit your own world

g_b Fundamental Rights meaningless if Moral Majority rules: AP Shah

[Aditya Bondyopadhyay]

Fundamental Rights meaningless if Moral Majority rules: AP Shah #Sec377 #ipc377 
#repeal377

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/if-an-issue-of-morality-is-to-be-decided-by-majority-then-fundamental-right-has-no-meaning/1210431/

 Print  Close Window

'If an issue of morality is to be decided by majority, then fundamental right 
has no meaning'

Maneesh Chhibber Posted online: Sun Dec 22 2013, 03:17 hrs
Retd Delhi HC Chief Justice and the man behind a landmark verdict 
decriminalising homosexuality, Justice A P Shah feels the Supreme Court setting 
aside that order is unfortunate. At this Idea Exchange moderated by Senior 
Editor (Legal Affairs) Maneesh Chhibber, he also talks about his new assignment 
as Law Commission chief, where he is looking into electoral reforms, live-in 
relationships and age of juvenility

Maneesh Chhibber: Can you explain how you wrote your Section 377 judgment?

I wouldn’t like to comment on the Supreme Court judgment but that doesn’t bar 
me from speaking about the rights of LGBTs, the Constitutional morality we 
talked about in the high court case, and the government’s position.

Let me start with this — some speak of this as a ‘western disease’. First of 
all, it is not western. Temple imagery and essential scriptures show there is 
some evidence of homosexuality being practised in this country... The British 
brought in Section 377 and there is the presumption that one of the reasons was 
(they feared) their army and daughters would be tainted by Oriental vices... 
What is so startling is that Section 377 travelled back to England. Later it 
was repealed, in the sense that their judicial committee recommended that for 
consenting adults it should not be a crime. This is the position in almost all 
of Europe, US.

There are critical nuances of the (Supreme Court) judgment which I would not 
like to go into, but I would like to tell you about how far it is permissible 
for the State to legislate on the ground of public morality. What is envisaged 
by the Constitution is not popular morality. Probably public morality is the 
reflection of the moral normative values of the majority of the population, but 
Constitutional morality derives its contents from the values of the 
Constitution.

For instance, untouchability was approved by the majority, but the Constitution 
prohibited untouchability as a part of social engineering. Sati was at one time 
approved by the majority, but in today’s world, it would be completely 
inconsistent with the Constitution... In public morality and Constitutional 
morality, there might be meeting points. For instance, gambling. That would be 
prohibited by law, and that’s also the perception of public morality.

I think the real answer to this debate is Constitutional morality. And this is 
the most important point — it has to be traced to the counter-majoritarian role 
of the judiciary. A modern democracy is based on two principles — of majority 
rule and the need to protect fundamental rights. The very purpose of 
fundamental rights is to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of 
political controversy, to place them beyond the reach of majorities, and 
establish them as legal principles to be applied by the courts. It is the job 
of the judiciary to balance the principles ensuring that the government on the 
basis of numbers does not override fundamental rights.

I would like to refer to my own notes and preparation. In case of a moral 
legislation, when it is being reviewed by a Constitutional court, then the rule 
of ‘majority rules’ should not count, because if the issue of morality is to be 
decided by the majority, as represented by the legislature and Parliament, then 
the fundamental right has no meaning. It is to be decided on the basis of 
Constitutional values and not majority rule.

About homosexuality being a disease... this is no longer treated as a disease 
or a disorder. There is near unanimous medical, psychiatric opinion that it is 
just another expression of human sexuality.

With this, I come to the last part, that ‘What is the harm to the LGBT (with 
this law), that ultimately these provisions are not enforced’. It is true that 
in the last 150 years there might have been 200 prosecutions... But even when 
these provisions are not enforced, they reduce sexual minorities to — what one 
author (in a US judgment) has referred to — ‘unapprehended felons’.

Apart from the misery and fear, a few more of the consequences of such laws are 
to legitimise and encourage blackmail, police and private violence, and 
discrimination. We could see some evidence that was placed before us, what is 
called the ‘Lucknow incident’. This was a support group to create awareness 
about AIDS etc, they were arrested, and although they should have been released 
on bail immediately, they remained in custody for more than two months because 
of Section 377.


Rakesh Sinha: What was the first thought that crossed your mind when the 
Supreme Court ov

g_b Re: details for community meeting on 21st December

[akshay khanna]

Dear all,
thanks to everyone who has written in. we already have quite a long series
of ideas and suggestions and i look forward to a good meeting this
afternoon.

this is a request to all those who are physically coming for the meeting -
could you please bring laptops etc. along? there are quite a few people who
have requested virtual participation and we will try our best to get as
many people on through skype as possible.

for those of you who would like to join us on skype, please email your
skype ids to us at moving.queerly.forw...@gmail.com and we try and get you
on.

x
akshay


On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 1:06 PM, akshay khanna  wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> As promised yesterday, here are the details for the meeting on the 21st.
>
> Venue: The Gati Dance Forum, 5, Wind Mill Place, s-17 Khirkee Extension,
> Opposite Select City Walk Mall, New Delhi 110017. this is next to Khoj
> Studios.
>
> Time: 2 pm to 6 pm
>
> several people have written in saying that they would like to be there but
> cannot make it (given the short notice etc.). we are working on ways to
> make virtual participation possible.
>
> also, a reminder - please do send in your thoughts and ideas for the
> meeting to moving.queerly.forw...@gmail.com , especially if you cannot
> make it for the meeting! and of course if you would like to help in putting
> it together...
>
> looking forward to seeing many of you soon, and to both this meeting, and
> the National Consultation on Sunday!
>
> with love
>
> akshay
>

Re: g_b Pakistani TV news hands over ‘gay couple’ to police, calls for stoning

[Henry Sanders]

Boo!Hiss! At the Pakistani TV news.

Henry Sanders



On Saturday, December 21, 2013 5:48 AM, "modera...@gaybombay.in" 
 wrote:

 
Pakistani TV news hands over ‘gay couple’ to police, calls for stoning
Pakistani TV
report shows journalist entering a home, insulting the two residents and 
apparently handing them to police while calling for tougher laws and
stoning of LGBTIs
18 DECEMBER 2013 | BY TRIS REID-SMITH, OMAR KUDDUS
A Pakistani TV news reporter has invaded the home of a couple she claims are in 
a ‘gay’ relationship, leading to their arrests.
The show also flashed up offensive captions, saying LGBTI people are ‘worthy of 
stoning’ and ‘cause AIDS’.
The story on nation TV news station Abb Takk was headlined as ‘Male and 
she-male living as husband and wife’.
The reporter in the story goes into their home to interview them. She is
filmed going through their closet, apparently without permission.
And she produces a substance she claims to have found on the premises which she 
says is ‘charf’ a kind of drug.
The man, who tells the reporter he has psychological problems, is living with 
someone who appears to be transgender of a cross-dressing male but is 
insultingly referred to as a ‘she-male’.
Afterwards the pair appear to be taken away by what appear to be the
police – though sources in Pakistan do not know what charges they were
arrested on or what has happened to them.
The video is filmed to dramatic music with words like ‘lie’ flashed on
the screen when the reporter disagrees with the alleged couple’s
comments.
Coming in to their home, the reporter tells them: ‘I have heard a lot about you 
two and you are quite notorious.’
The 
reporter asks the transgender person her name. When she replies
‘Muhammad Selim’, the reporter insists ‘what is your name like this,’
referring in an insulting tone to her dress. The trans person replies
‘Nila’.
The pair say they have been together for a year but they sleep apart.
The man tells the reporter, he has mental health issues, but she refuses to 
believe him.
He says: ‘My doctor, psychiatrist says something is wrong with me.’
She responds: ‘Now how can this be correct? How can someone whose mind is
not correct know he is not stable? I don’t believe him.’
But later she appears to accept he suffers from mental health problems.
She accuses the trans person: ‘You have completely closed his mind. He is
no good to anybody now… You have disrupted a family. He is not mentally
well.’
The
reporter also finds photos of each of them on the wall, which she claims are 
wedding pictures – although she produces no evidence to support
this assertion.
She
tells her audience: ‘You will be able to see these two photographs
behind me and it looks very clearly like she is in bridal dress. She is
looking so dressed up even our film stars would be envious.’
Meanwhile on the screen, messages are flashed up in Urdu, including: ‘People 
[ignorantly] love those who are worthy of stoning.’
There are also references to homosexual prostitution with messages
claiming: ‘Decent and respectable people also involved in this crime’
and ‘Tiny places, cabins, huts are houses of sins’.
And the captions demand: ‘Need of lawmaking to curb homosexuality…’
saying ‘This nation is destroyed because of open-minded people’ and ‘A
big cause of HIV and AIDS is homosexuality’.
The case was highlighted by the Pakistan Queer group who comment in their 
report: ‘We condemn and protest against the inaccuracy of the “facts” presented,
invasion of privacy, publicly humiliating, involving police and
homophobic bigotry reporting aimed at demonizing the LGBT community.’
Watch the video here. The text below is their caption not ours:- See more at: 
http://www.gaystarnews.com/ article/pakistani-tv-news- 
involved-arrest-gay-couple- calls-stoning181213#sthash. b1OcdUFe.dpuf

g_b

[Viki Doctor]

Hi...I am 56 yrs doctor how do i send personalized e mail contacts. Please 
guide me.viki doctor
==
you need to copy paste thee person's email when sending the reply to the 
concerned person instead of hitting the reply button
also you can send a personal advertisment if you like to
regards
ketan

g_b Citizens’ Deputation to the Governor of West Bengal against Sec377

[Aditya Bondyopadhyay]

(Served on the Governor after a grand rally to the Governor's mansion in 
Kolkata - Aditya)

Citizens’ Deputation to His Excellency the Governor of West Bengal in response 
the Judgment Delivered by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India on December 11, 
2013 Regarding Constitutional Validity of Section 377 of Indian Penal Code, 1860

Mr. M. K. Narayanan
H. E. The Governor of West Bengal
Raj Bhavan, Kolkata

Respected Sir,

We, the citizens of India and residents of West Bengal, want to share our deep 
anguish and grievance in response to the Judgment delivered by the Hon’ble 
Supreme Court of India on December 11, 2013 in Civil Appeal No. 10972 of 2013 
arising out of SLP (C) No. 15436 of 2009.

The Hon’ble Supreme Court by its judgment has set aside the Judgment dated 
July, 2nd 2009 passed by the Hon’ble High Court at Delhi which had declared 
that Section 377, insofar it criminalises consensual sexual acts of adults in 
private, is violative of Article 21, 14 and 15 of the Constitution of India.

The effect of the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court is an infringement upon 
every Indian citizen’s right to equality, non discrimination, privacy, freedom 
of self expression, personal liberty and choice since Section 377 criminalises 
every citizen, for the said provision of law is applicable to everyone, 
irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, gender, sex or sexual orientation.

It might not be inappropriate to refer here to the words of the preamble to the 
Constitution of India that it is designed to "assure the dignity of the 
individual" and therefore of those cherished human value as the means of 
ensuring his full development and evolution. While we appreciate and understand 
that the State, in accordance with law, can and must enter into the private 
domain in the event there is violence even within a private space. It is the 
bounden duty of the State to intervene and protect the rights of the victim. 
But when there is no coercion or violence or violation of rights and two 
citizens, who have attained the age of consent, are voluntarily entering into 
any kind of relationship on the basis of mutual consent, in private, we, as 
citizens of India fail to understand how the State can pervade such private 
domain and thereby infringe upon the Fundamental Rights of its citizens. If 
physical restraints on a person's movements affect his personal liberty, 
physical encroachments on his private life would affect it in a larger degree.
The Judgment of the Hon’ble High Court at Delhi does not obliterate Section 377 
IPC from the statute book but merely decriminalizes sexual acts of adults in 
private. Any act of violence, either in private or public, still remains an 
offence punishable in accordance with law. But unfortunately the said provision 
of law is applicable to acts of love making and has become a tool for 
persecution in the hands of the executive. In the last 152 years since the 
enactment of Sec. 377 IPC, social situations have changed to a large extent and 
we, the people of today do not any longer subscribe to the Victorian concepts 
of morality. Naturally, the imposition of moral values of the Victorian era is 
detrimental to the welfare of the people. On today’s date to consider an act to 
be impure and unacceptable simply because it is ‘sensual’ or ‘fleshy’ is 
extremely unrealistic.

We also believe that the use of phrases like ‘Unnatural offences’ and ‘against 
the order of nature’ in the present context to be outdated on basis of 
scientific and social standards of this time. At the time of enactment of the 
said statutory provision, there were no substantial scientific data and 
empirical evidences to explain diverse sexual acts and behaviours, but

1) with so many contraceptive measures made legally available and use of them 
being socially desirable and with the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 
in place respecting an individual’s right to opt for or reject pregnancy and 
parenthood, considering non-procreative sex to be ‘impure’ and ‘against the 
order of nature’ is summarily unacceptable;
2) with plenty of scientific evidences and detailed documentations of existence 
of various kinds of sexualities and sexual acts in more than 500 animal species 
including human beings belonging to every class, race and group of people in 
every period of human existence and also asexual reproduction in many other 
species, considering only a particular kind of sexuality to be natural and 
prescribing the same for every individual does in itself appear to be an act 
against the true order of nature.

We therefore as citizens of the 21st century of a Democratic Republic consider 
infringement of our rights to privacy and liberty and freedom of self 
expression on the pretext of certain sexual acts being considered ‘against the 
order of nature’ and ‘impure’ on basis of some archaic law based to an 
ultra-moralistic construct alien to Indian cultural heritage and tradition to 
be ext

g_b Pakistani TV news hands over ‘gay couple’ to police, calls for stoning

[moderator]

Pakistani TV news hands over ‘gay couple’ to police, calls for stoning 
Pakistani TV report shows journalist entering a home, insulting the two 
residents and apparently handing them to police while calling for tougher laws 
and stoning of LGBTIs
 18 DECEMBER 2013 | BY TRIS REID-SMITH 
http://www.gaystarnews.com/author/tris-reid-smith, OMAR KUDDUS 
http://www.gaystarnews.com/author/omar-kuddus
 

 A Pakistani TV news reporter has invaded the home of a couple she claims are 
in a ‘gay’ relationship, leading to their arrests.
 The show also flashed up offensive captions, saying LGBTI people are ‘worthy 
of stoning’ and ‘cause AIDS’.
 The story on nation TV news station Abb Takk was headlined as ‘Male and 
she-male living as husband and wife’.
 The reporter in the story goes into their home to interview them. She is 
filmed going through their closet, apparently without permission.
 And she produces a substance she claims to have found on the premises which 
she says is ‘charf’ a kind of drug.
 The man, who tells the reporter he has psychological problems, is living with 
someone who appears to be transgender of a cross-dressing male but is 
insultingly referred to as a ‘she-male’.
 Afterwards the pair appear to be taken away by what appear to be the police – 
though sources in Pakistan do not know what charges they were arrested on or 
what has happened to them.
 The video is filmed to dramatic music with words like ‘lie’ flashed on the 
screen when the reporter disagrees with the alleged couple’s comments.
 Coming in to their home, the reporter tells them: ‘I have heard a lot about 
you two and you are quite notorious.’
 The reporter asks the transgender person her name. When she replies ‘Muhammad 
Selim’, the reporter insists ‘what is your name like this,’ referring in an 
insulting tone to her dress. The trans person replies ‘Nila’.
 The pair say they have been together for a year but they sleep apart.
 The man tells the reporter, he has mental health issues, but she refuses to 
believe him.
 He says: ‘My doctor, psychiatrist says something is wrong with me.’
 She responds: ‘Now how can this be correct? How can someone whose mind is not 
correct know he is not stable? I don’t believe him.’
 But later she appears to accept he suffers from mental health problems.
 She accuses the trans person: ‘You have completely closed his mind. He is no 
good to anybody now… You have disrupted a family. He is not mentally well.’
 The reporter also finds photos of each of them on the wall, which she claims 
are wedding pictures – although she produces no evidence to support this 
assertion.
 She tells her audience: ‘You will be able to see these two photographs behind 
me and it looks very clearly like she is in bridal dress. She is looking so 
dressed up even our film stars would be envious.’
 Meanwhile on the screen, messages are flashed up in Urdu, including: ‘People 
[ignorantly] love those who are worthy of stoning.’
 There are also references to homosexual prostitution with messages claiming: 
‘Decent and respectable people also involved in this crime’ and ‘Tiny places, 
cabins, huts are houses of sins’.
 And the captions demand: ‘Need of lawmaking to curb homosexuality…’ saying 
‘This nation is destroyed because of open-minded people’ and ‘A big cause of 
HIV and AIDS is homosexuality’.
 The case was highlighted by the Pakistan Queer group who comment in their 
report: 
http://humjins.com/national-tv-raids-harasses-and-hands-over-to-police-a-presumably-gay-couple/
 ‘We condemn and protest against the inaccuracy of the “facts” presented, 
invasion of privacy, publicly humiliating, involving police and homophobic 
bigotry reporting aimed at demonizing the LGBT community.’
 Watch the video here. The text below is their caption not ours:



- See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/ article/pakistani-tv-news- 
involved-arrest-gay-couple- calls-stoning181213#sthash. b1OcdUFe.dpuf 
http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/pakistani-tv-news-involved-arrest-gay-couple-calls-stoning181213#sthash.b1OcdUFe.dpuf
 

g_b Ugandan Lawmakers Pass Measure Imposing Harsh Penalties on Gays

[asfan]

        
 
 
 
 

 


December 20, 2013
Ugandan Lawmakers Pass Measure Imposing
Harsh Penalties on GaysBy ALAN
COWELL
LONDON — The Ugandan Parliament announced Friday that
it had approved legislation imposing harsh penalties on gay people, including
life imprisonment for what it called “aggravated homosexuality,” effectively
brushing aside previous objections to antigay legislation from outside powers,
including President Obama.
 
In addition to prohibiting “any form of sexual
relations between persons of the same sex,” the law seemed to echo Russia’s
so-called gay propaganda law, criminalizing “the promotion or
recognition” of homosexual relations “through or with the support of any
government entity in Uganda or any other nongovernmental organization inside or
outside the country.”
 
Specifically, the law — officially the
Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 — provides for a 14-year jail term for a first
conviction and “imprisonment for life for the offense of aggravated
homosexuality,” a Parliament announcement said.
 
“The bill aims at strengthening the nation’s capacity
to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional
heterosexual family,” it said, quoting a Parliament committee.
 
There was some doubt, though, about the status of the
measure. Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi raised questions about whether Parliament
had a quorum of lawmakers present to approve the legislation, which still has to
be signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni, the announcement said.
 
The legislation was not as tough as an initial version
of the bill, first put forward in 2009 and later withdrawn, that would have 
imposed the death sentence in some cases. Mr. Obama
called that legislation “odious.” But the vote reflected an aversion to
homosexuality in much of Africa.
 
“I am officially illegal,” a gay activist, Frank
Mugisha, was quoted by news agencies as saying when the legislation was approved
on Friday.
 
Homosexuality was already illegal in Uganda, but David
Bahati, a lawmaker who has led the campaign for tougher action, said existing
laws needed to be strengthened to prevent Westerners from promoting
homosexuality among young Ugandans. The issues raised by the new legislation
also became entangled with resentment at pressures by foreign governments and
rights groups.
 
In particular, Western threats to link the future of
hundreds of millions of dollars to Uganda’s antigay legislation stirred 
accusations of Western neocolonialism and
double standards.
 
Last year, for instance, the opposition leader Kizza
Besigye said Western pressure was “misplaced” and “even annoying.”
 
“There are more obvious, more prevalent and harmful
violations of human rights that are glossed over,” he said. “Their zeal over
this matter makes us look at them with cynicism to say the least.”
 
According to the announcement by Parliament on Friday,
a legislative committee said “that there is need to protect the children and
youth of Uganda who are vulnerable to sexual abuse and deviations as a result of
cultural changes, uncensored information technologies, parentless child
development settings and increasing attempts by homosexuals to raise children in
homosexual relationships through adoption and foster care.”
 
But the announcement acknowledged that a handful of
lawmakers had opposed the law. “What two consenting adults do in the privacy of
their bedroom should not be the business of this Parliament,” two independent
legislators, Sam Otada and Fox Odoi, said in a minority report. “It is not right
to have the state allowed in the bedrooms of people.”
 
When the bill was reintroduced last year, it deepened
tensions within parts of Uganda’s religious and traditional society. A
government minister broke up a gay rights meeting in a hotel, saying gay people
should face the firing squad. In 2011, a newspaper published a list of gay
people and urged readers and policy makers to “hang them.” 

Re: g_b Deleted Facebook photo of gay Sikh man kissing another man goes viral, sparks debate

[Tintin Mumbai India]

What would be our stand now?
Would we close our facebook accounts, because facebook is not supporting us
Or because facebook has blindly taken a step against a simple support
picture?
That is what my point was (when I talked about BJP's voice on SC's verdict)
that we should not get judgmental and get divided based on different
political views of the topic.
May be I have taken an unrelated context, but thought of explaining my
point from a different example.


--- Reuse Paper by Both Sided Printing 

FashionAra - An online shopping mall, with Fastest
Delivery.


On Wed, Dec 18, 2013 at 1:12 PM, gay_bombay moderator <
modera...@gaybombay.in> wrote:

>
>
> Deleted Facebook photo of gay Sikh man kissing another man goes viral,
> sparks debate
> INDIA TODAY ONLINE  NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 18, 2013 | UPDATED 11:48 IST
>  Tweet 
>  Close on the heels of the Supreme Court giving the thumbs down to gay
> rights, protests erupted worldwide amid the Indian communities abroad. On
> Sunday, which was being called the Global Day of Rage, in more than 30
> cities across the world people gathered to protest the ruling that upheld
> Section 377 and criminalised homosexuality and to fight for India's LGBT
> community.
>
> Amid all the din that erupted worldwide, a photograph, that of Kanwar
> Anit singh Saini kissing another man, which he had posted on his Facebook
> Page, "Sikh Knowledge", went viral within hours of it being posted online.
>
>  This photograph of Kanwar Anit Singh Saini was removed by Facebook.
> Source Tumblr
>
>
> Within hours, it had amassed more than a 1,000 likes and had sparked off a
> debate on the social networking site. However, while most of the comments
> on his photograph were reportedly abusive and accused him of having
> betrayed his religion, others supported him.
>
> However, the photograph was removed by Facebook a few hours later saying
> that the photo had been removed as it "violates our terms and policies".
> Not just that, his account was also suspended for 12 hours.
>
> Refusing to taking it lying down, Saini shifted his focus to Twitter,
> Instagram and Tumblr where he posted the same photograph and questioned
> Facebook's screening policy.
>
> See his tweets here:
>
> Photo: Heres me stickin it to section 377…happily 
> #rage
>  http://t.co/WcC3b4GbEQ
> Sikh Knowledge (@sikhknowledge) December 15, 
> 2013
>
>  So #facebook  blocked
> me for the next 12 hours and removed this post of me kissing another man
> protesting #section377
>  pic.twitter.com/thdXQAE9CM 
> Sikh Knowledge (@sikhknowledge) December 16, 
> 2013
>
>  @facebook  u guys suck. Do you see how
> important my post was? Homophobic morons are being hateful and violent, why
> not delete their posts?
> Sikh Knowledge (@sikhknowledge) December 16, 
> 2013
>
>  @MadTatterFilms  i had a heated
> thread, but it was really interesting. So, for unknown violations, they
> removed it and banned me for 12 hours
> Sikh Knowledge (@sikhknowledge) December 16, 
> 2013
>
>  @SeanEPanjab  well, im not clear on why
> it violates their terms... I think more than one of my haters flagged it,
> and FB deleted it auto.
> Sikh Knowledge (@sikhknowledge) December 16, 
> 2013
>
>  @facebook  You guys are awful. What's this
> tap on the hand 12-hour suspension thing? I have 2 hours left like im on
> political parole.
> Sikh Knowledge (@sikhknowledge) December 17, 
> 2013
>
>  I cant even communicate with my fans 
> @facebook...You
> guys need to stop this automated post deletion and use some of ur $ to hire
> a screener
> Sikh Knowledge (@sikhknowledge) December 17, 
> 2013
>
>  Someone at Facebook is judging people for the way they look imo.
> http://t.co/aepHQnLvFkI'd like to know why my post was del'd. 
> @facebook
> ?
> Sikh Knowledge (@sikhknowledge) December 18, 
> 2013
>
>
>
>
>
> Here are some more photos of the Global Day of Rage in which people from
> more than 30 cities around the world participated.
>
> GLOBAL DAY OF RAGE TORONTO. 
> #377DayOfRage
>  #nogoingback 

g_b Gay Olympic delegation

[Richard A Ammon]

Obama Sending Openly Gay (LGBT) Athletes to Represent USA in Russian Sochi 
Olympics

In contrast to Russia's absurd homophobic statutes, Obama can stand tall in his 
choice of openly gay delegates to the Olympics.
Equally wonderful are the numerous openly gay and proud American athletes he 
can choose from:

Greg Lougainis;  Billy Bean
Billy Jean King;  Wade Davis
Ilana Kloss;    Chris Tina Bruce
Martina Navratilova;  Rosie Jones
Caitlin Cahow;    Sheryl Swoopes
John Amaechi;   Robert Dover
Jason Collins;    Kye Allums
Megan Rapinoe;  Esera Tuaolo
Kwame Harris;   David Kopay
Glenn Burke; Renee Richards
Johnny Weir; Richard Ammon (Gay Games)

...and thousands more who openly participate in the
Gay Games and Out Games...

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2013/12/18/obama-wont-attend-russian-winter-olympics-but-will-send-gay-inclusive-delegation/

g_b Re: [gb] Taking down Ramdev

[Tuhin Roy]

Now Swamy is getting Nazi, tweeted saying to ""catch"" gays during Modi ruling 
next year and send them to Ramdev's ashram ... just like Hitler did lobotomy of 
gays in his camps ... I am really worried where it will go once the Modi wins 
...
















  



   


     
       
       
       Absolutely right...The
 SC says that homosexuality is not illegal, the act is...you
 can technically take ramdev to court, either he proves what
 he says or he gets booked under the relevant sections for
 making misleading and fraudulent claims...it will also serve
 as an eye opener to the lay public that homosexuality cannt
 be cured           
                 
                     

                     
                         
                             
                             
                                 From:
                             
                             Tuhin Roy
 ;                           

                             
                                 To:
                             
                             
 ;                         
                                                             
             

                             
                                 Subject:
                             
                             [gb] Taking down Ramdev         
                   

                             
                                 Sent:
                             
                             Mon, Dec 16, 2013 5:59:17 AM   
                       

                         
                             

                             
                                 
                                     
                                         
  



   


     
       
       
       Disclaimer:  I am a
 legal illiterate, so whatever I am writing is in good faith
 and intention. So people, especially guys like Aditya should
 not make sarcasm out of my email. I am actually seeking a
 legal opinion. The idea a may not be the best or better or
 even good, but is not trash-able.
 So
 far we tried to convince that we are not different from
 others, we are not wrong doers, we are not wrong in
 anything, not
  committing crime. What makes me think that why we never
 tried to prove them wrong in the eyes of people. Their
 logic, arguments can easily by toppled over by Science and
 other facts.
 Ramdev,
 who is calling it a disease, is also claiming to cure it.
 Medically it is absolutely wrong. Ethically it is wrong. But
 isn't it a crime as per IPC to spread fear and wrong
 propaganda among the people? Please clarify. His methods of
 treatment can also cause mental distress, I guess.

 Medical
 science has accepted it as an orientation, a normal thing
 that a % of population have, they have omitted it from the
 list of disorder. Then how come they are tolerating the
 nonsense of this homophobic yoga guru. Why can't they
 challenge him legally? Why can't this homophobe show the
 way to cure this, he claims? Why can't it be dealt
 scientifically, legally and prove him wrong? He is directly
 defaming the helping psychiatrists and challenging their
 ways of dealing people.

 I
 understand it is not easy to take him down given his
 popularity and his followers. We should be behind the
 curtain and let the medical professionals especially
 psychiatrists trying to help us take it up legally. One may
 argue that it is our fight, we should take it forward.
 Agreed, but sometimes you need to take your hand around your
 head to hold ear.
 If we
 are in the front row, we might loose people's support as
 this homophobe will say that we are conspiring against him.
 We cannot ignore the mob. Don't forget
  the protest against "Nirasharam" arrest. Here he
 was actually guilty of a heinous crime. But in case of gay
  rights, people may come on street as if it another freedom
 fight against something which is maligning Indian culture,
 which could be detrimental (remember Lokpal movement,
 Nirbhaya movement, movement against Ramdev's camp
 disruption in Delhi in the middle of night etc). If such mob
 appears against us with opposition supporting them it will
 be a disaster.

 As
 the popularity of Modi is increasing, it worries me that
 these fascist Hindu right groups will come against it. I am
 not talking about other religion in view of the fact that
 Modi may become the next PM. When it happens other groups do
 not have to sweat it out to
  permanently
  damage the gay rights. So it's time to take one these
 powerful people down one by one by logic, law and
 science.
 Just
 a thought, let me know your opinion.
 Please
 no sarcasm or bad mouth.

 Regards,TR