Homosexuality amongst humans- my perception

Of late, I have watched a few thought provoking documentaries on homosexuality (gays, lesbians).

I wrote "amongst humans" in my title, because my blog entry is limited to that sphere. Contrary to the biblical belief that homosexuality is an unnatural perversion amongst humans, recent research shows that it is a genetic trait present in most species, naturally occurring in the wild. Take for example, the story of Roy and Silo, a pair of gay penguins from the New York Central Park Zoo. When scientific research is exploring the possibilities of a 'gay' genetic trait, isn't it time that we accept homosexuality at least as a genetic abnormality/disease instead of as a crime?

I felt really sad for Jewish orthodox and muslim gays. Jewish orthodox gays/lesbians are ostracized from society, their families and friends refuse to mix up with them, what a lonely life. Muslim gays are actually the worst off, they face capital punishment in muslim majority countries that follow sharia law, they have to flee their country or die. Most mullahs know about homosexuality only from what they've read in the Holy Qu'ran, the Lot/Sodom/Gomorrah story, where cheap gays were ready to rape anybody who ventured into their village, so they instantly identify homosexuality with cheap anti-social violent behavior.

What I found very interesting (and felt very proud about), Indian mullahs seem to be the most educated/aware, one of them actually reconciled science with religion. He advised the gay to please visit a psychologist and seek professional counselling, because it is a problem of the mind that won't be accepted in muslim society. He sympathised with the man, but told him in clear terms that it is not acceptable, and a doctor's help should be sought. I also noticed that Indian muslim men are most reconciled/ fatalistic/hopeful about the condition. One gay man said with resignation, 'God made me this way, He gave me a girl's heart with a man's body, He will guide me through life as per His plan, surely He had some plan in mind when He created me different from others. Nobody should think that God isn't there for them, God is there for everybody, heterosexuals, women, homosexuals, prostitutes, everybody .'.

I was trying to think over what my own religion (Hinduism) says about gays/lesbians. Anything in excess is bad in Hinduism, it is all about spirituality, moderation, mental control of the sensory organs and control of emotions. So categorizing something as "wrong" or "right" usually depends on its consequences. Homosexuals don't cause harm to others, they have certain desires, but their desires don't interfere with another person's right to existence. "Live, and let live" can be the broad motto of Hinduism. Homosexuality is not encouraged, nor accepted, but it is understood that God made them that way. Homosexuals are sympathized with for their condition, since God made them that way, and they are left to be. They are not hounded or killed, but they are made fun of, often ridiculed. That is from the perspective of a spectator. Whereas from the perspective of the "sufferer", Hinduism will advise him to try to bring his senses under control, try meditation, yoga, prayer, because any kind of excessive physical desires or indulgence are not a way to moksha. All of us suffer from our own share of vices or emotional addictions, so it becomes a journey of self discovery, introspection and self correction. However, a spectator cannot judge the sufferer or take away his right to life.
India inherited common law from England which outlawed homosexuality. However, these laws have been seldom enforced by the Government, it is more of a not-addressed or silent issue. It is only now in recent times that these outdated & unused laws are being questioned, repealed/updated.
I was really surprised, that in the 'Islamic' Pakistan, an annual Urs is celebrated for a muslim baba who was in love with a hindu lad, the couple's life is celebrated at the dargah every year.

As for my personal opinion, I thank God for having made me "normal", I feel bad for all the "decent" gays/lesbians who are ridiculed & forced to live a lonely life. I believe there are cheap people across all cultures, like there are men who molest women, men who disrespect women. Similarly, there are gays who act solicitous & cheap (like the ones from Sodom/Gomorrah who raped any visitor who ventured into that village), these are the ones who are feared by society. There are some irritating confused cheap uneducated young men in India who cross dress, behave lewd, they may not even be gay, perhaps they are experimenting, and very loud show off, pushy kind, they pile themselves on us and make us feel uncomfortable in public places, with solicitous puckering of lips et al. But I met a few nice decent educated gays who just want what we want in life- a decent quiet relation with love, they live normal lives in all other respects, they seek education, they seek knowledge, they love music, they admire art, they are just like us in every way, except that they love a person from the same sex. But they love that person with as much commitment, integrity & intensity as we do. The only sin they commit, is that they loved! Is 'loving someone' such a big sin? How is it that in this world, we are ready to accept violent people, corrupt people, money minded people, chauvinists, ill-mannered egoists, just because they are all heterosexual, whereas we can't accept a homosexual, only because they loved the wrong person? Now that is VERY mean.

I have seen rampant eve teasing in Hyderabad (India), I have been a victim several times. How come this cheap behavior is tolerated on Hyderabad's roads just because it is done by heterosexual men? Whereas gay men are hounded down in the name of conservatism, with people ready to kill them. Being a woman, I have felt much more respected & safe when surrounded by gays, at least they don't eve tease me, and they understand how it is to be vulnerable in life. And the only thing I value in life is education (not literacy, but education). It is safe to be in the company of an educated, rather than an uneducated, it doesn't make a difference if he is heterosexual or gay. However, it is not like I would want to cultivate such a relation in my personal life. I say this because someone once quipped at me, "If you are really as liberal as you claim to be, you shouldn't mind it if your husband turns out to be gay!".
Well, I am conservative about my own life, because I want to make my own choices. However, I do not want to force choices on others or judge them, let them decide their life and sort it out with God, I am liberal to the extent of sympathizing and letting them live, I am ready to share this earth with them, and treat them as equals... But not a lover, because I am not wired that way, I very much wanted a guy husband and not a gay husband! :-)

Lastly, if gays are so discriminated against in some societies, I can't even begin to think of how lesbians must be, because even straight women don't get much respect from their husbands or rights from society sometimes.