A 'Queer' issue..

Homosexuality. Its the best way today, modern society, to have a debate and freak out a bunch of predominantly straight or heterosexual friends.. Ya.. I know, Way out..

Now this post is about homosexuality, liberalism and sexual orientation freedom. So if any of these bother you, just comment on what a good post this is, and then leave. But to those close to me, if this hurts your sentiments, I apologize. But this still gets posted.

Anyway.. It is a hot button topic. People get very easily uncomfortable in our country talking about it and then arguing about it. And I'm in Chennai. And I am from Hyderabad. Hyderabad, by the way has one of the largest gay communities in India. Including Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. And the issue is very new in India.
Here is a bit of detail.
The actual public movement of Gay Liberation in India itself is about 6 years old. Compared to the rest of the world, the Indian movement is very young. Gay Liberation around the world, in Europe and the Americas started in the 1860s and became increasingly active after the II World War. And the most popular during the 1960s and the 1970s and has not since seen a slow down. The flagship countries to gay rights are Poland (decriminalization in 1932), France, Germany, Holland and Scandinavian countries and the USA.. Though in France and the following mentioned, there wasn't and still isn't legalisation or decriminalization, they are the nations which saw the most active movements.
Of course, the above examples are of the big countries. There are all these other countries which have their own set of laws..
Some which allow homosexuality but not marriages. There are even some countries which only allow lesbians but not male homosexuality.
Either way, the essential point is that the world in general hasn't opened up to liberalism. And
Here is a good idea of the world...

India has its own issues.
Lets talk India though..
The law in India doesn't specifically mention homosexuality as a crime. The word is never used. What is mentioned is this

Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
- Section 377, IPC

So there.. Nothing specific. But it is implied. The movement to liberation in India has picked up. Like I said, in Mumbai Delhi and Hyderabad, there are plenty of gay bars and the like. Also, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata and Puducherry held gay pride parades on June 29, 2008. In Mumbai, it was held on August 16, 2008. So, as it so appears, gay rights is opening up in India more than I'm sure your aware.
But then, legalisation isn't an option till the politics take over. So a look. The possibly first step towards gay tolerance in Indian politics happened when Politburo member, from the CPI(M) member Brinda Karat wrote an open letter to the then Minister of Law and Justice, Arun Jaitley about repealing Section 377 of the IPC. In 2003, the Delhi High Court refused to consider a petition of the law by a sexual health organisation, the Naz Foundation.
The Naz Foundation is an NGO which tries to spread awareness against HIV/AIDS. Its petition again, has been under consideration by the High Court since October 2006.
So whats a small timeline of gay tolerance in India been like...
On September 2006, Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen and acclaimed writer Vikram Seth came together with scores of other prominent Indians in public life to publicly demand this change in the legal regime. The open letter demands that 'In the name of humanity and of our Constitution, this cruel and discriminatory law should be struck down.'
On June 29, 2008, Delhi held its first ever gay pride march, along with similar gatherings in Bangalore and Calcutta.
On June 30, 2008, Indian labour minister Oscar Fernandes backed calls for decriminalization of consensual gay sex, and the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called for greater tolerance towards homosexuals.
On July 4, 2008, gay activists fighting for decriminalization of consensual homosexuality at the Delhi High Court got a shot in the arm when the court opined that there is nothing unusual in holding a gay rally, something which is common outside India.
On July 23, 2008, Bombay High Court Judge Bilal Nazki said that India's unnatural sex law should be reviewed.
On November 7, 2008, the seven-year-old petition to disallow the law that makes “unnatural” sex a criminal offence finished hearings. The Indian Health Ministry supported this petition, while the Indian Home Ministry opposed such a move.

Then there is Anbumani Ramadoss. Under the hilarious words of Cyrus Broacha, "... he's trying to tell us that one type of fag is OK, but not the other.. " :D :D :D
The first 'fag' refers to the gays and the second to smoking...

So that's been a general and simple description of the political scenario.

Homosexuality has been declared taboo by the society primarily citing religious reasons. Abrahamic religions, like Christianity and Islam clearly ban any homosexual acts. Reasons being that they are all unnatural and against the law of nature and God.. Understandable. Typically, homosexuality has never struck most of us as the most normal thing. But I'd like to see you run that past an intelligent gay person. See if you get anywhere.
Hinduism doesn't ban homosexuality. Though in India, its all about culture and tradition which makes it wrong and 'disgusting'... There are plenty of arguments thrown around about more than one group of scholars which makes you wonder whats true. Check this out.. Arguable.

I have to argue. Homosexuals aren't freaks. They have rights. Homosexuality has been around as long as Leonardo DaVinci and all those famous people. It has to be understood that homosexuality, even though it doesn't seem that way, is as natural to a gay person as heterosexuality is to straight people. That's their argument. And you have never tried it, don't shove it down as an oddity because if your straight, then we obviously wouldn't know how it is. If "they", tens of thousands of gays say its that way, you and I have no option but to listen and agree. Its neither our right nor our place to argue.
As far as religion is concerned, with all due respect, they are wrong. God cannot discriminate against people he has designed in a specific way. Those he has made gay. And if human judgement was prejudiced by the minds of the writers of the scriptures, it obviously hasn't made any bounds in improvement today.
You have the right to do what you want as long as it doesn't hurt the people around you. You can go bungee jumping and convert you religion if it makes you happy and is really what you wanted to do. But for some reason, we are even more prejudiced against the gays.
Gay people HAVE to born of heterosexual parents. Any people for that matter of course. They can grow up in largely heterosexual environments and have straight friends and teachers and role models. But still are gay. You cannot TURN gay. You can REALISE that you are gay. Its a force of nature that rules what happens.
The only reason that anyone can argue and ask for control of the gay society is the spread of STDs. Which by the way, can spread as much in straight people as they do in the gay community. But for your information, check out the 8th point in THIS LINK. Hopefully dispel a few doubts.
And also, AIDS did not originate from gay men. Proven it is, that AIDS originated from chimpanzees in West Africa. READ THIS. In all fairness however, it is said that a gay person is the cause of bringing the disease into the Western world, though there is no solid proof to support the theory.

In my opinion, homosexuality is a very unfairly treated topic of debate. Most opinions spring more as a result of being influenced into an opinion than actually having one of your own.
I encourage you, to do your own research and perhaps think outside the box of religion and family influence and make your decisions. Informed ones. I have provided several links throughout the article to pertinent topics. But read some more.
Almost everything above also applies to bisexuals and transgenders by the way..

And to pacify the argument about 'natural' and 'hormonal' instincts in man, it has been observed in many animals as well. Homosexual behaviour. Now, if you don't believe in the Theory Of Evolution, this wont really make a difference.. But if you do, then check out THIS LINK.. It has the info about penguins who showed gay behaviour and a bloody list of all other animals which do as well.. And if man is also just a smarter animal, then it kinda speaks for itself..

After you do your study, if you decide that homosexuality is still a forbidden sin, then so be it. But if you believe that all gay people must be ousted from society, then go think again. The strongest base of argument to gay rights is that all man is created equal. And even in the mind of god, we have been created with the same amount of love. Life is tough on the poor, the oppressed and the weak. And if you're gonna say that that's the way God wanted it, then DAMN!! Gay is how god wanted them.

It takes an event for me to start up a post. Some form of inspiration. The source of this one is the movie Milk. Watch it. Milk, Philadelphia to get a spin on Gay Rights. The Band Played On for a look into the vague and somehow murky origins of AIDS.

Freedom of speech, press and thought are elementary. But if people let go of our freedom and allow ourselves to be haunted and controlled by the conservatives, we lose out on more than just freedom. It'll all be just a life of lies and people pleasing charade. You shouldn't fall for it. Or allow anyone else to either...

Major thanks to WIKIPEDIA for content help... Plagiarized the timeline...