India’s first gay pride parade

It was incredible: there were drummers and good statements including from a friend of mine who thought never would never be a pride march in India. Then we marched. Some of the policemen were wonderful. (You mentioned many marches joined with masks, and some were not happy masks. Describe for us what it’s like to be gay in India in 2008?) It’s a form of stigma, but this is about taking a position about your own life. This is also about not having children, and that’s the real problem�this is about family issues, not necessarily personal ones. (I understand there is still sexual aversion therapy in India.) This is people who take aversion therapy right before a boy is going to get married, it is an issue. (Any projection on when there will be same-sex marriages in India?) Lesbians have been very brave and have gone to temples to get married, and then made suicide pacts when they know their families will try to break them up. Being a women in India is tough, you have not much personal freedom or choice. (Are you hopeful for change in India?) Yes, ideas of family and society are changing. Gay men own places, and our population is growing and is strong. We’re on our way.