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Saturday, November 20, 2010

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

An Open Letter to Sakunthala Madam, the latest addition to homophobic list

Dear Sakunthala Madam

Mahabharata says

She was surrounded in the solitude of the wilderness, by śakuntas (birds),
therefore, hath she been named by me Sakuntala (bird-protected)

We believe by the meaning of your name because of the protection from the birds by birth you will have peace and harmony in your mind unlike your response to a letter in Dinamalar a week before.

As you proudly proclaimed "I completely detest homosexuals. We are all created to lead a life in tune with Nature". I wonder how you were serving the Indian Government as a judge in the past, when our judiciary believes in equality and inclusiveness.

Then, we come to the classic "Homosexuality isn't natural, and is, therefore, wrong" argument by you. It's true that we don't see homosexuality in nature, but since when does something's "naturalness," for lack of a better term, determine its morality?

Society is not a natural one, society and its norms were formed by human, therefore it is not a natural course. Civilization and its activities are totally controlled by the human, henceforth it is against the nature. Destroying forests and building houses are against nature. If homosexuality is unnatural, we may not be able to find it among other creatures such as dolphins etc.
 
But if we only looked at Nature without any cultural filters of any kind, we'd actually find that the homosexuality is absolutely "Natural" in, say, octopuses, dogs, human beings:"Natural" as in "Existent in Nature".So, is homosexuality against Nature? No, it's only against a certain ill-conceived interpretation of Nature. Nature therefore actually goes against an interpretation of itself!...

I'd like to rectify this absolutely ridiculous paradox of yours and put forward a statement on Nature that is at least coherent with Nature itself, and I'll therefore state that it is against Nature for so many people and, most importantly, for the media and people like you to devote time and negative energy in order to discriminate sexual tastes when humanity is plagued by war, poverty, violence, illiteracy, starvation.

And then our beloved Madam you said “We all eat with our mouth, for a change can we try eating with something else? Is that even possible? No.” What will you do if your son or daughter is naturally left-handed, will you cut off their hand and asked them to practice using right-hands? Or you will encourage them to be on their own way and lead their life successfully and peacefully?

And you said “May be they can adopt, but let me tell you, kids raised by same-sex couples will end up as criminals or mentally retarded.  “ May be you have a concrete proof or statistics to prove this obnoxious theory. If only adopted kids same-sex couples will become criminals and mentally retarded why do we have so many queuing up in KMC's? Why is that the criminal rate in India is higher than some of the western countries which agreed on same-sex marriages and adoption?

And your for information Madam, recently Delhi High Court shot down the proposition that homosexuality is a mental disorder saying that homosexuality is just another form of sexual expression. World Health Organisation excluded homosexuality from the mental disorder diseases. Both American Psychiatric Association and the American Psychological Association declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder. So i am wondering on what basis you termed us as criminals and mentally disordered people?

And you continued as “ I will offer you advice for a good life. Will you listen to me, Son?” Good life? Under what terms Madam, you wanted to chop of the feathers of the bird to live its life without flying, I pray to God that you do the same advice to your son too.

“I know many homosexuals who have changed from their evil ways, got married, returned to morality and live peacefully and happily. Don't let your mind wander into evil ways, come back, come home to god. “ You were dragging God and Evil unnecessarily to prove your theory, but could you please give me a data of married men who were homosexuals and still living happily? Dear Madam, by your irresponsible and ignorant philosophy you were spoiling directly and indirectly of many lives of men and the women they are going to be married.

And you finally mentioned “Homosexuality will gift you AIDS. Do you want to live as HIV-AIDS infected person for the rest of your life?. This showcase your lack of knowledge about AIDS, as if AIDS will not affect hetrosexual person. Once again you have gone wrong in statistics, next time when you talk about AIDS etc better collect some data from WHO or some NGOs which are working on this area.

People like you who spread venom against us will not stop us being as what we are naturally, we will fight against evil systems like you who have its own theory and wanted everybody to follow it. Because we dont live a lie, lie that can be as cruel and injustice as yours.

As my 'Coming out' poem said

Once I was there in that darkness filled with emptiness
Clouded with fears and scares threatening to kill nevertheless 

I was there standing alone craving to let myself free
Fighting against odd spirits that very notion within me

It was tears all over; spreading its wings traveled all my life
‘Come out’ Liberation encouraged me with an enchanting smile 

All my lies and fakes mounting like a lava periling an erupt
Control was not within me, it was the Orb warning to react

Time was running
My heart was dying 

Glowing grey hairs portraying the lack of love in my days
Carved with loneliness barricading the truth in its ways

Nature seems to be their only artillery blocking my happiness
Choices are not chosen as virtues under our family values

I was enchained with their beliefs, covered with moral ethics
Killing the true me was considered mercy in their social clinics

Closeting in someone’s shoes hurting my horrified heart
Their Laughter was daunting me to accept that painful act

By resisting to lie
I refused to die

Person like you in public who have the moral responsibility and served in the judiciary which repealed against Section 377 recently in Delhi High Court and you should not force your personal opinion on a public forum like Dinamalar.

Cheers
Vikranth Prasanna
Founder & Director - Chennai Dost

Take Action : Condemn Tamil magazine Dinamalar's Homophobia

Dear Friends

At SIAAP, We came across a very disturbing article published in Dinamalar,Vaaramalar last Sunday, 14th November 2010 in the column Anbudan Antharangam - Sakunthala Gopinath. This column is a platform to get advice or suggestions for personal and intimate issues and problems. Last Sunday in this column a 28 year old closeted gay man shared his concern about straight marriage because his family is planning to get him married. The person seemed to be sure about his sexual preference. The reply of the columnist Sakunthala Gopinath was unethical, homophobic, amoral, malapropos and discriminating. Sakunthala in the most disgusted way has mentioned that his writing depicts that he is an effeminate man who prefers to be lonely. Further more she has pointed out 8 reasons why he is gay.

Please find the below link to the article.
http://www.dinamalar.com/Supplementary_detail.asp?id=2629&ncat=2

Here is the English translation of the full exchange :

Question

Dear Mam,

I have finished college and now working in a private company. I am a homosexual male. From very young age, I am not attracted to women, I am only attracted to men. In those days, when I was with my friends, I was never interested in watching porn with them.
They all watched straight pornography, which didn't interest me. They don't show men enough on those movies, they show women.
I later went on the Internet and came to know about being Gay. I used to go to the Internet Cafe every week and watch gay porn and chat with other gay men. I have also met and had sexual encounters with 20 men so far. My friends and family doesn't know that I am gay. I am so afraid of letting them know, if they come to know about me, I would kill myself. My parents are currently seeking alliances for my marriage. I don't want to get married, I will feel awfully guilty. In western countries, same-sex couples get married, have kids and live together. Our culture and our people doesnt accept all that. I am not sure what to do. Please consider me as your friend and help me out.

Friendly yours,
XXX

Response:

I read your letter. I guess you are close to 28 years old. You work for a private company. You are a loner. Your handwriting is quite feminine. I think one of the following is the reason why you are a homosexual

1. Homosexuality is a genetic disorder
2. Your mother is dead and you were raised by a strict father (or) your father is dead and you were raised by a selfish mother (or) you are younger to 3-4 sisters . You have been exposed at a very young age to lot of women nudity, mostly ugly ones. You got repelled by that without proper understanding.
3. You have bad friends who engage in homosexuality and talk about it
4. You are irrationally angry towards the world and the society. You just want to contradict, and be rebellious, for the sake of it
5. You are a half-baked atheist, who doesn't believe in god. No religion in the world approves homosexuality
6. You have a wrong scientific mentality that leads you to think that you know everything
7. You were raised by an evil step mother who ill treated you
8. You are a trouble maker , anti-social

I completely detest homosexuals. We are all created to lead a life in tune with Nature. Man - Woman relationship is like a relay race, it leads humanity to the future generations. It is not just for sex, but it is very important for the unit called family. We all eat with our mouth, for a change can we try eating with something else? Is that even possible? No.

Male and female babies are born in the ration of 1:1. Monogamous heterosexual relationship is God's unwritten law for humans.
A woman is like a flower and a man is like the bee. A bee can feed on the flower, a flower cant feed on the bee . Also a bee cant feed on another bee. It is the Man- Woman relationship that inspires life, art, literature and poetry. In your letter you have mentioned that men marry men, have babies and live together. A man can't make babies with another man, that is not scientifically possible. May be they can adopt, but let me tell you, kids raised by same-sex couples will end up as criminals or mentally retarded.

I will offer you advice for a good life. Will you listen to me, Son?

You mention that you are not sexually attracted to women. That is not the real truth, you are confused. You are blinded. Clear the fog and try to see things more clearly. You will see the reality. Don't spend your time on the internet, pray to god and become spiritual.
If you parents look for a match for you, don't say No. Let them. Try to find a manly-looking girl like actress Tabu.

I know many homosexuals who have changed from their evil ways, got married, returned to morality and live peacefully and happily.
Don't let your mind wander into evil ways, come back, come home to god. Homosexuality will gift you AIDS. Do you want to live as HIV-AIDS infected person for the rest of your life?

Read works that celebrate women and femininity. If you have only met bad and evil women so far in your life, don't conclude that you don't like women. Try to mix with the good ones.

Get married, have kids and live happily.

- Always motherly,
Sakunthala Gopinath


We as a collective crowd of LGBTQ and LGBTQ supporters from NGOs,CBOs and other groups should request Dinamalar to publish a corrigendum and an apology letter.

If you would like to mail, email or fax Dinamalar please find the below contact information

Dinamalar
219, Anna Salai,
Chennai – 600002
Fax : 044 28523695
e-mail – dmrcni@dinamalar.in

P.S: Thanks to SIAAP, Orinam.net and others to bring this to our notice. Special thanks to Gabriel and Shridhar for the english translation

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Amazin Post: My son is gay

Please take a look at the below link...One of the most popular post in recent times and making a controversy in US

http://nerdyapplebottom.com/2010/11/02/my-son-is-gay/

Hope all the indian moms are just like her

Monday, November 1, 2010

Chennai Dost need funds for Magazine

Dear Readers

As we are planning to launch the Gay Lifestyle Magazine in Chennai, there has been some lacking of funds which is causing some unwanted delays in launching it. If any of our readers would like to make any monetory contribution for Chennai Dost Magazine please contact our PR at 044 433 133 82 for Payment details.

We are looking forward for your contribution to Chennai Dost

Cheers
Chennai Dost

Chennai Dost Gay Magazine - Contribute your contents

Dear Friends

As Harvey Milk said

"We started of doing small things and then it became a Queer movement. The only thing they have to look forward to is hope. And you have to give them hope. Hope for a better world, hope for a better tomorrow, hope for a better place to come to if the pressures at home are too great. Hope that all will be all right"

Chennai Dost is planning to launch Chennai's First Ever Gay Lifestyle Magazine this November. We would like to invite everybody to send their articles, poems, short stories, photographs or paintings (based on Gay or Bisexual theme) to us if you like your writing to be published in our first edition.

Please send it to chennaidost.magazine@gmail.com or magazine@friendsofchennai.com on or before 6th November.

Cheers
Editorial Team
Chennai Dost