Gay Pakistanis, Still in Shadows, Seek Acceptance
In Pakistan, homosexual acts are
illegal. The gay scene in Pakistan is very discrete; gay couples exist in
Pakistan but are secretive. Homosexuality is viewed as going against religious
views. Openly gay people in Pakistan will face discrimination and violence,
most commonly from their families. Two women that live in Pakistan have started
the gay and lesbian support group. The group, “O”, researches lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender issues and provides legal advice. O knows that openly
gay rights activating is not going to happen in Pakistan for a while, but they
have started by sharing and being accepted by their families. O has helped
people in difficult family situations and helped with a foreign-operated
prostitution ring. O is currently working to overturn a code that influences parents
to shun their gay child. Self-definition in Pakistan deals a lot with class;
upper and educated class identify as gay if they are, but lower and working class
will not identify as gay. The older generation of Pakistan separates gay from
identity. There is potential conflict for younger Pakistanis because they are
growing up with a more westernized perception of sexual identity. An anonymous
gay Pakistan journalist state: ““They’ve got all the access to content coming
from a Western space, but they don’t have the outlets for expression that exist
over there””.
This article is about a group of
Pakistani people who believe in gay rights. This group believes that openly gay
people in Pakistan is not going to happen for many years. Homosexual acts in Pakistan
are illegal; and gays are usually shunned from their families. The youth in
Pakistan have access to beliefs about sexual identity from the United States
and are forming a different view on sexuality. American youth have an outlet of
expression but Pakistani youth do not. The younger generation of Pakistan is
going to have more frustration than the older generations about sexuality; and
will express their frustration. The new gay marriage laws in Massachusetts and
Maryland will not only affect the United States, but also places like Pakistan
where people do not have the same opportunities.
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