South Asian gays silent no longer

Elaine O'Connor, The Province
British Columbia, Canada

"There is no such thing as a gay East Indian male. There is no word for it," the Rick Hansen Secondary grad recalls. "I live in Abbotsford, so there isn't much for gay support as it is. And for South Asians, being gay is not discussed. I always considered it to be a phase. I thought I would get married and then just get one of these urges on the side."

"Eventually, I just faced it. If I ever did get married to a girl, it would ruin her life. That's what it came down to: being truthful to myself and accepting who I am."

"For the Sikh people, it's their culture that says homosexuality is bad and wrong. It's a real barrier for people. I know when I was coming out, I was very suicidal and I was very depressed and very closeted."

Homophobia remains a reality in Western culture and South Asian and Muslim society. Case in point? A UN resolution against sexual discrimination was rejected by five Muslim countries. B.C. Sikh leader Balwant Singh Gill openly condemned homosexuality in the media last year (later apologizing).

Sangha decided to help others. The result was Sher Vancouver, a queer Sikh support group he founded in April. It already has 50 mostly Sikh members (including five women) from around B.C.

Sher Vancouver is the newest of several such support groups, among them Trikone, a group for LGBT South Asians of all religions; Saalam Vancouver, for gay Muslims of all sects and ethnicities; and Namaste, for queer B.C. Hindus.

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