“Just because a law changes, doesn’t mean the way of thinking changes. That’s a slow process and something we have to keep working at. Homophobia is so entrenched I don’t think we realize we’re being homophobic. I’m talking about those of us working with the community too. So you have many NGOs working with the community who show very high levels of homophobia.”
In 2001, Gopalan, 54, petitioned India’s government to decriminalize homosexuality, which eventually led to the law being changed almost a decade later. But even the advent of gay Pride parades haven’t changed prevailing attitudes in the country, even among LGBT people themselves. “The sad part is we still get a lot of [gay] men who say ‘Can I get medicine to not feel this way’ which is very heartbreaking,” says Gopalan. “But that’s the reality.”
