HOMOSEXUALITY

The shift in the understanding of homosexuality from sin and crime to a n1ormal variant of
human sexuality occurred in the late 20th century.2 The World Health Organisation in 1992
and the American Psychiatric Association in the year 1973, officially accepted its normal
variant status. Many states have since decriminalised homosexuality and have also recognised
same-sex marriages. The new understanding was based on studies that documented a high
prevalence of same-sex feelings and behaviour in mean and women, its prevalence across
cultures and among almost all non-human primate species. 3

Various psychological tests conducted could not differentiate the heterosexual orientation
from the homosexual orientation. A lot of research was done that showed that people with
homosexual orientation were not psychologically impaired in judgement, stability and
vocational capacity.
Psychiatric, psychoanalytic, medical and mental health professionals have finally accepted
homosexuality as a normal variation of human sexuality. Homosexuality is not a disease or
mental illness that needs to be or can be ‘cured’ or ‘altered’, it is just another expression of
human sexuality. Homosexuals are as normal as ‘you’ and ‘me’. It's just that they love ‘their
own kind’ because of which they are ostracised and hounded by the law. Often branded as
‘queers’ and ‘aberrations’,homosexuals are normal people attracted to their own gender.
Relationships are not defined by societal sanctions. “Like heterosexuality, homosexuality is

2Sadock VA. Normal Human Sexuality and Sexual Dysfunction. Kaplan and Sadock’s
Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry 9th ed. (In: Sadock BJ, Sadock VA, Ruiz P, Editors)
Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009. p. 2027-59.

Drescher J, Byne WM. Homosexuality, Gay and Lesbian identities and Homosexual
Behaviour. Kaplan and Sadock’s Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry 9th ed. (In: Sadock
BJ, Sadock VA, Ruiz P, Editors) Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009. p. 2060-89.

3 Same as 2
an orientation which is not unnatural. The world accepts this orientation; society is
changing.’’ What is not changing is the legal and the social mindset in India.

Human sexuality is complex.4 The distinction between desire, behaviour and identity form
the multidimensional nature of sexuality. These dimensions may not always be in harmony
and thus the complexity of the issues arises. The current social usage focuses on identities
and argues for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights.

The argument that homosexuality is a stable phenomenon is based on the consistency of

same-sex attractions, the failure of attempts to change and the lack of success with treatments
of alter orientation.5

Heterosexuality stigmatises and unfairly criticises all non-heterosexual forms of behaviour,

identity, relationships and sections of the society.
In addition to the challenges of living in a predominantly heterosexual world, the diversity
within people with homosexual orientation results in many different kinds of issues.6 Morals
and ethics further add to the complexity of the issues faced by this particular section of the
society. People with homosexual behaviour face many challenges right from the conflict in
their minds of accepting one as homosexual to hiding their identity from the society and
living in the constant fear of harassment.

ANCIENT EVIDENCES OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN INDIA

The presence of homosexuality in Indian history is preserved in the relics from ancient times.
Vatsayana’s Kamasurta written between the first and fourth century AD clearly shows the
practice of eunuchs and male servants giving oral sex to their male patrons and masters
respectively. 7
The Khajuraho Monuments which are a group of Hindu and Jain temples in Khajuraho, a
town in Madhya Pradesh, India are richly sculptured with deities and their attendants. The

4 Same as 2
5 same as2
6 same2
7 Nag M. Sexual behaviour in India with risk of HIV/AIDS transmission. Health Trans Rev

1995;5:293-305
monuments are Nick-named as “Kamasurta” temples. It is alleged that the sexual postures
portrayed in the Khajuraho monuments act as visual aids to the Kamasurta. The Kamasurta
talks about a group of people who lived in Southern India and practiced the acts of sodomy. It
also mentions a “third” sexual orientation which is differed from the usual heterosexual
behaviour.
The Muslim rulers in India were reported to have maintained harems of young boys. Babur,
the founder of Mughal Dynasty in his autobiography speaks of how he was married to a
woman at the age of 17 and how he had no interest or sexual attraction towards women. He
recalls the days when his mother used to force him into his brides room and he used to feel
nothing for her. His interest lay with a market boy named Baburi. Babur’s inclination towards
Baburi is evident from the lines- “ I developed a strange inclination for him,rather, I made
myself miserable for him.”
The Stories of Padma Purana and Mahabharata clearly show the presence of homosexuality
in ancient era.
The Sushruta Samhita,a highly respected Hindu medical text dating back to 600 B.C.,
mentions two different types of homosexual men (kumbhika - men who take the passive role
in anal sex; and asekya - men who devour the semen of other men). It also speaks of
transgenders (sandha - men with the qualities, behavior and speech of women). It states that,
the men who behave like women, or women who behave like men, are determined as such at
the time of their conception in the womb.

India very much has a long rich history. The Khajuraho monuments, the Kamasurta and the
Babur's autobiography are only a few instances of that history which contain only a few
evidences of India’s homosexual past.