Mother of gay activist places advert (pictured above) seeking "Well-Placed, Animal-Loving, Vegetarian GROOM for my SON" in Mumbai newspaper’s matrimonials pages.
The matrimonial ads in India’s newspapers are a window on what the country really cares about: money, status and caste.
But parents scanning the pages of Mumbai’s Mid-Day on Tuesday will have been confused by an ad which made newspaper history – India’s first gay matrimonial advertisement.
Padma Iyer, mother of Harrish, one of India’s leading gay rights campaigners, placed a traditional ad in the paper for a groom for her son.
She was “seeking 25-40, Well-Placed, Animal-Loving, Vegetarian GROOM for my SON (36, 5’11’’) who works with an NGO. Caste no bar (Though IYER preferred)”, the ad explained.
It was the first of its kind in a country where homosexuality remains illegal, despite earlier attempts at decriminalisation.
Delhi’s high Court had struck down a 148 year old colonial law banning homosexuality in 2009, but its ruling was overturned in 2013 by the Supreme Court.
Many newspapers, including the Times of India and the Hindustan Times, which each have millions of readers, rejected the ad amid concerns that it would be in breach of the law, but it was accepted by Sachin Kalbag, editor of the Mumbai tabloid Mid-Day which published it on Tuesday.
“As an organisation, we have always supported equal rights for everyone, regardless of religion, caste, sexual orientation, the colour of the skin, or whatever. Therefore, when the gay matrimony ad came to our office, we did not even think twice about publishing it”, he told the Telegraph today.
‘In India, matrimonial ads are one of the best ways to find a life partner, given the prevalence of "arranged marriage". With this ad, Harrish Iyer's mother hopes to find a groom for her son.… We wish them both all the very best in their endeavour”, he added.
Indian gay rights activists during a protest to demand the repeal of IPC 377 in Bangalore in 2014 (AFP)Mr Iyer said the rejection of his mother’s ad by several newspapers had turned his quest for a partner into an equal rights campaign but he was not necessarily looking for traditional ‘arranged marriage’ or a partner from the high Brahmin Iyer caste, as it stated.
The ad was “more like mom fixing dates for me”, he said.
Culled: UKTelegragh
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