Homosexuality in India: The Light at the End of the Tunnel

SUMMARY

This paper begins with a brief overview of sexuality and homosexuality in the Hindu civilization. In the sections that follow, the author discusses changing attitudes toward gay people, their legal status and the emergence of gay and lesbian organizations in modern India. As there is little psychiatric and psychological literature in India on the subject, the paper addresses the theoretical models used for understanding homosexuality in India on the basis of the few research studies published in psychiatry and psychology journals, unpublished reports, and interviews with psychiatrists and clinical psychologists. Finally, the paper concludes with some anecdotal accounts of gay people published in gay magazines or told by gay individuals regarding their experiences with mental health practitioners.

KEYWORDS:

• Antihomosexual attitudes
• gay and lesbian organizazions
• Hindu civilization
• homosexuality
• Indian Psychiatry
• modern India
• sexuality