A Rainbow Dream
Channel: owais sarvasukhsevaka
Date: 03/01/2014

A Rainbow Dream
- To Free ALL From The Patriarchal Yoke

The (approximate) text of this talk is available on...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153696402485026

The first person in independent India, who raised a voice in support of the rights of GSD peoples, was 'Ammashri' Shakuntala Devi.  'The Human Computer' did that through her 1977 book, 'The World of Homosexuals'.  The book ended with a call for decriminalizing homosexuality, and asked for "full and complete acceptance -- not tolerance and not sympathy".  Like Alan Turing, 'Ammashri' had also suffered because of patriarchal disapproval of homosexuality:  her husband turned out to be homosexual.  However, in true fashion of a loving human, she chose to understand homosexuality compassionately.  And she asked for love, respect and equality for homosexuals (and by extension, for all GSD persons): she was a pioneer, she was OUR FIRST MOTHER.  The first act, on behalf and through this vision of The Tula Party, for me, is to accept her as 'Ammashri' -- the first Mother that asked dignity for us.  Thank you, Ammashri.  You have given us what many of us have only wished for, from our own mothers.  May you always live in our memories, Ammashri...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153707304570026 

The 'Declaration of Freedom' as was signed by the Hyderabad GSD Support Group, Saathi, on behalf of all GSD peoples of India, on 28th May 1995...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=210487435783235

A news-story about the first Pride March in India, dubbed 'The Friendship Walk', which was held in Kolkata, on 2nd July 1999 -- exactly a decade before the Delhi High Court in its fair judgement read-down the IPC Section 377 insofar as adult consensual sexual acts in private were concerned...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151949672540026

A short article on the Supreme Court Judgement of 11.12.13, the Dark Day...
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/validating-377-a-supreme-error/article5474804.ece

Complete text of the same judgement...
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Section_377_-_CIVIL_APPEAL_NO.10972_OF_2013_Judgement.pdf

Article about the confusion in other appellate courts on Indian Penal Code Section 377...
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-12/india/45121122_1_orissa-high-court-apex-court-section-377

About the 'naturalness' of homosexuality, in other species...
http://www.news-medical.net/news/2006/10/23/20718.aspx

Thai LGBT Activists' plans of political party initiative...
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/692647-too-late-for-the-party-lgbt-advocates-vow-political-push/

Hindu religious / spiritual references declaring that homosexuality is not a problematic area within Hinduism...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153708042560026
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153707402580026
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153707661670026
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153707796575026
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153708284610026
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153707714890026

Other religious / theological leaders declaring that homosexuality is not a problem in their religions...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153708190405026
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153708146590026
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153708235990026

The Kinnar pioneers in the Indian political arena...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153708323625026
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153708526080026
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153708549800026

It is worthwhile to note that the subcontinental cultural transgenders (called Kinnar, or the earlier, Hijra, in India and Khwajasara in Pakistan) have made some inroads in politics in the latter country as well.  A very informative article, which unfortunately, I discovered too late to include in the talk itself, can be found on...
http://www.gaylaxymag.com/articles/world/the-third-voice-in-pakistans-elections/