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5/30/2005 - Outreach and Outrage: AIDS and the Rights of Sexual Minorities in Uttar Pradesh by Richard D. Connerney

ICWA LETTERS Since Institute Current World Affairs Crane Rogers Foundation provided fellowships enable outstanding young professionals outside United States write about international areas issues An exempt operating foundation endowed Charles R Crane Institute supported contributions minded individuals foundations TRUSTEES Bryn Barnard Joseph Battat Mary Lynne Bird Steven Butler Sharon F Doorasamy William F Foote Peter Geithner Gary Hartshorn Kitty Hempstone Katherine Roth Kono Cheng Li Peter Bird Martin Chandler Rosenberger Edmund Sutton HONORARY TRUSTEES David Elliot David Hapgood Pat M Holt Edwin S Munger Richard H Nolte Albert Ravenholt Phillips Talbot Institute Current World Affairs The Crane Rogers Foundation Four West Wheelock Street Hanover New Hampshire 03755 U S A RDC SOUTH ASIA Richard Connerney Phillips Talbot Fellow studying influence impact religion Indian society Outreach Outrage AIDS Rights Sexual Minorities Uttar Pradesh By Richard D Connerney LUCKNOW India On night April Kasim Mehedi AIDS outreach worker Bharosa Trust I walked through rusty darkness Hazrat Begum Park During Lucknow Hazrat Begum Park popular tourist desti nation where visitors century mausoleums built honor Nawab Sa Ali Khan Hazrat Begum At night becomes where addicts prostitutes homosexu others rejected polite Lucknow society congregate When became customed gloom I could silhouettes moving across toward As MAY these shapes moved closer Kasim greeted With smile persistent laugh passed condoms educational phlets warning about dangers AIDS everyone Although I initially unlit recesses Park Kasim fears Hazrat Begem Park usually peaceful unless police arrive We approached young woman standing mausoleums Kasim introduced Nandini As spoke I realized actually woman hijra transsexual Hijras modern version Mughal court eunuchs They communally other hijras usually their living dancing singing prostitution Although I about books I never actually hijra I undergo castration while simply cross dressers I wanted which category Nandini belonged Unable think grace question Hindi I asked Kya Have penis Of course Nandini A small group gathered around Kasim Nandini They wanted about America I homosexuals marry their pyaari lover America Is Not really I answered I think states Nandini believe You introduce American insisted I country become housewife If moved New York City Nandini I I would right What Tell Children The Case The Lucknow Four Misinformation about AIDS widespread Uttar Pradesh Many people example insist AIDS spread mosquitoes medical impossibility It inaccuracy organizations Bharosa Trust designed combat Effective outreach cation campaigns vital lowering infection rates AIDS In Uttar Pradesh unfortunately social I witnessed Hazrat Begum Park outreach workers Kasim This exactly happened summe In notorious public morality haywire Lucknow police arrested outreach worker Bharosa Trust sting public When outreach worker identified himself member NGO distributing condoms practicing homosexuals police responded raiding offices Bharosa Trust associated organization British based Naz Foundation International NFI Confiscating instructional video called Safer Sex Men about sexual identity entitled What Tell Children published British Broadcasting Corporation police arrested three outreach workers including director Bharosa Trust Mr Arif Jafar Authorities charged violating Section Indian Penal Code which prohibits committing abetting against order nature distributing obscene material These official charges In press claimed discovered brothel The reach workers spent weeks brutalized their prison guards local media The state government finally released under intense pressure human rights groups I Arif Jafar still director Bharosa Trust Mr Shivananda Khan founder Naz Foundation International about their court Arif police repeatedly during Al though prosecutor dropped charge abetting unnatural sexual charge obscenity still stands three years later Arif appear court month await mysterious government witness never appears His lawyer obtained address witness investigation reside address given could located Shivananda Khan founder Naz Foundation Later Kasim Nandini penis truth still firmly attached He lained Nandini makes money prostitute claims castrated RDC International recent recipient Order British Empire OBE began working activist lesbian community London early 1990s During Naz young Pakistani deeply troubled sexual orien tation The experience spawned Naz Project reach program designed specifically South Asian mosexuals living Britain He later decided similar program should exist Asia itself Over years Mr Khan original Naz Project grown diversi handful autonomous programs subcontinent including Bangladesh Mr Khan tells faces difficult lenges attempt reach homosexuals Uttar Pradesh For example tries prostitutes about condoms often respond saying I dying starvation right should I worry about AIDS Men prostitution often abjectly require money receive support their wives children For people desperate nomic situations survival important worrying about disease remain asymp tomatic decade Section Perhaps biggest challenges AIDS outreach Uttar Pradesh however legal cultural rather economic In America tolerance homosexu increased Even conservative U S Supreme Court handed several decisions Lawrence Texas prevent judiciary system climbing consenting adults While marriage continues divisive issue civil unions inheritance rights people gained mainstream support states In India trend sometimes seems other direction Ancient Indian attitudes about homosexuality could quite issez faire Although Artha Shastra ancient Sanskrit civil society mentions homosexuality sexual crimes penalty quite required offender small monetary While Sanskrit literature nothing parable Plato Symposium Patronius Satyricon evidence widespread tolerance homosexual ancient world Indian mythology include number androgynous hermaphroditic charac taken gender roles times fluid Modern India other groans under Sec Indian Penal Code makes against order nature woman animal punishable imprisonment The wording vague depending definition order nature almost anyone could already guilty The Bharosa Trust association NFI Image archaka dynamic_includes images ardhanarishvara INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS leading legal challenge Section They ahead The Delhi court recently defended statute saying The purpose Section provide healthy ronment society criminalizing unnatural sexual tivities The irony phrase healthy environ Section effectively prevents state funded outreach bisexual males ensuring misinformation HIV virus continue spread among those To matters worse those affected Sec often realize books Words West describe sexual entation heterosexual homosexual bisexual little currency Uttar Pradesh A great sexual activity takes place Lucknow among consider themselves bisexual simply engaged musti Musti difficult translate En glish could rendered exuberant friendship It denotes anything innocent fraternal camarade prolonged homosexual liaison Men engage latter musti often consider reserve heterosexual intercourse In Indian engage variety homosexual activity without tioning their sexual identity having clear sexual identity means When occurs effeminate called kothi zenanna Indian often consider homosexual cause identify their sexual In India speak often begin An NFI publication describes fusing situation following There other males because consider these males There males think themselves The taxonomy sexuality North India perplexing purposes AIDS outreach organizations Naz Founda International Bharosa Trust adopted acronym MSM Men having Sex Men MSM provides useful nomencla AIDS outreach without raising sexual identity Even broad desig nation serious drawbacks however If practicing homosexuals consider musti MSM little Thus questions legality homosexual sodomy arise Indian Uttar Pradesh neighborhoods stores concept people distinct graphic group unique political interests Indian ticians court American politicians there therefore little political initiative change Section Unfortunately organizations rently fighting Section spend their fight other NFI Bharosa Trust conten tious elationship India other major NGO field Bombay based Hamsafar The blood between these organizations which should united against common enemy recently High Court judge express exasperation their mutual hostility The Uttar Pradesh State AIDS Control Society I first learned about existence Uttar Pradesh State AIDS Control Society UPSACS billboard The picture showed young woman talking young Between caption Do How intelligent Stay AIDS listed address website When I searched website period weeks I access I later learned billboard survivor series billboards UPSACS cooperation UNICEF The other billboards taken their slogans Hero Times India Lucknow Edition Supreme Court expresses surprise hostility among NGO homosexuality Shivananda Khan Aditya Bondyopadhyay Dr Carol Jenkins Eyes Wide Shut Violence stigma social exclusion MSM HIV social justice South Asia essays Times India Lucknow Edition Supreme Court expresses surprise hostility among NGOs homosexuality RDC Zero widely perceived offensive people suffered AIDS Curious about UPSACS local branch Na tional Aids Control Organization NACO I visit their office Lucknow I expected private versation Dr Yogesh Chandra Joint Director UPSACS Instead Dr Chandra escorted large boardroom seated front UPSACS directors During conversation followed Dr Chandra remained silent except occasional Most questions answered Information Education Communication Team which consisted verbose young women Ms Mukta Sharma Ms Monica Chatravedi When asked about UPSACS billboards existent website Information Educa Communication Team UPSACS website changed servers would avail different address On subject seemed equate being infected HIV having value human being Hero Zero Ms Chatravedi reaction billboard Furthermore UNICEF originally designed billboards UPSACS approved At point other directors joined conver sation emphasized UPSACS screens blood banks HIV organizes outreach female prostitutes truck drivers UPSACS organizes public displays about AIDS popular festivals puppet shows subject HIV schools lages where literacy rates The classification truck drivers egory surprised Dr Chandra plained truck drivers their wives longed periods sometimes physical forts Truck stops notorious number prostitutes their trade lonely drivers An UPSACS shows districts Uttar Pradesh HIV infection rates along major trucking routes I asked UPSACS doing educate MSM community about condom Dr Chandra answered currently doing outreach community because where I suggested General Post Office Park downtown Lucknow popular place congregate where police arrested Bharosa Trust outreach worker would place start When subject Naz International arose women comprised Information Education Communication Team They refused support NFI Bharosa Trust during their court because doing But there handful organizations doing Lucknow I Are saying unaware their intention provide reach MSM community Actually Ms Chatravedi admitted attended their training sessions Then withdraw support after arrest their outreach workers I asked Just because doing doesn weren doing countered I think there evidence there going there simply passing condoms You allegation running brothel I asked The police found clients I thought about moment Could Were Shivananda Khan Arif Jafar Mayflower Madams corrupting traditional culture Uttar Pradesh under aegis AIDS outreach Alternatively police press summari convicted their respective organizations charge would stand court Was there really clients Ms Chatravedi asserted If would Bharosa Trust clients differ appearance people instance organization intended Christmas cards While I never answers these I since wondered which woman Miss Information which Miss Communication INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS tions Ms Chatravedi intimation British based NFI promoting illegal sexual activity tails persistent perception AIDS HIV disease What emerged conversation UPSACS members upper echelons government believe AIDS HIV imported somewhere Dr Chandra pointed Maharashtra higher infection Uttar Pradesh All senior management UPSACS agreed AIDS Bombay where people travel bright lights behave State Assembly members parroted remarked recent meeting rising AIDS fection rates Uttar Pradesh result uneducated workers going Bombay other states returning spreading For senior management UPSACS state government somehow makes sense AIDS originate neither lations promiscuous In their estimation these Western problems leaking their morally upstanding state Europe America West ernized metropolis Bombay If would Hazrat Begum Park after I thought myself Happy Endings Before I offices Naz Foundation Interna tional I asked Shivananda Khan Arif Jafar about future Given difficulties working government agencies UPSACS cultural biases effective outreach difficult reason hopeful Shivananda answered considers change central government New Delhi development Both govern Manmohar Singh concerned issue AIDS previous administration Just after interview Deborah found another reason hopeful While browsing The New York Times website review Hindi called My Brother Nikhil which focuses issues AIDS homosexuality Indian culture It wonder about The New York Times Hindi Urdu papers about existence With little about newspapers surprising picture almost empty arrived movie Although small audience disappointment blessing disguise Earlier films about homosex uality India Fire about Indian lesbians sparked widespread protests religious conservatives While people bought tickets My Brother Nikhil particular night showed protest either Based events My Brother Nikhil story about young Goa develops AIDS 1980s As first diagnosed AIDS India endures humiliating treatment hands panicked state government quarantined months filthy sanatorium abandoned friends family After release disease slowly destroys loyal sister Although there happy ending My Brother Nikhil progress A Hindi movie takes unblink AIDS homosexuality Indian culture could years This reason optimism After effective AIDS prevention requires acknowledgement existence sexual minorities attempt responsible sexual behavior among As Lucknow Four illustrates public health confused heavy handed public morality sults disastrous Perhaps My Brother Nikhil first change Kinsean conception human sexuality mainstream society state government Uttar Pradesh A poster My Brother Nikhil Sanjay Shri right plays first persons diagnosed AIDS India UPSACS literature backs assertion claiming UP infection among general population among groups The Lucknow third highest district state behind Agra Kanpur New Horizons Making Difference HIV AIDS UPSACS Lucknow Dainik Jaagaran AIDS Sarvadaliiya Baithak Bulaayenge Mukhyamantrii translated Hindi Image santabanta wallpapers RDC INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS Current Fellows their Activities Alexander Brenner June CHINA With B A History Yale M A China Studies Johns Hopkins School Advanced International Studies Alex China examining country adapting economic cultural globalization following accession World Trade Organization Richard D Connerney January INDIA A lecturer Philosophy Asian Religions Philosophy Rutgers Iona College University Hawaii Manoa Rick Connerney spending years Phillips Talbot Fellow studying writing about intertwining religion culture politics India described former U S Ambassador John Kenneth Galbraith functioning anarchy Rick B A M A religion Wheaton College U niversity Hawaii respectively Cristina Merrill ROMANIA Born Bucharest Cristina moved Romania United States mother father Learning English retaining Romanian majored American History Harvard College there became captain women tennis She received Master degree Journalism New York University worked several U S publications Adweek New York Times spending years Romania watching emerge darkness Ceauscescu regime presumed light membership European Union NATO Andrew J Tabler February SYRIA LEBANON Andrew lived studied worked Middle East since Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Fellowship enabled begin Arabic language studies toward Master degree American University Cairo Following Master editorships Middle East Times C Times before moving Turkey Lebanon Syria working Senior Editor Oxford Business Group correspondent Economist Intelligence Unit His ICWA fellowship bases Beirut Damascus where report Lebanese affairs Syrian reform Jill Winder July GERMANY With B A politics Whitman College Walla Walla WA Master degree Art Curating Bard College Annandale Hudson NY Jill ICWA Donors Fellow looking Germany through ideas viewpoints contemporary artists Before months intensive study German language Berlin Thomas J Watson Fellow looking communist practice cultural politics transition former Soviet Czech Republic Slovakia Poland Croatia Hungary Latvia Romania Slovenia Ukraine Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young professional funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment interna tional events issues Author Connerney Richard D Title ICWA Letters South Asia ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions East Asia The Americas Europe Russia Mideast North Africa Sub Saharan Africa ICWA Letters ISSN published Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating foundation incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock Street Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA available libraries profes sional researchers subscription Phone Fax E Mail valley Web address Executive Director Peter Bird Martin Program Administrator Brent Jacobson Publications Design Management Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Af fairs The Crane Rogers Foundation This newsletter reprinted republished without express written consent Institute Cur World Affairs