Gaylaxy Jan-Feb '11 Issue

An Indian Gay e-zine

www.gaylaxymag.com

JAN - FEB 2011

GAYLAXY

Vol II Issue I

empowering expressions

2010

GAYLAXY Y AWARDS

Your One-Stop Party Destination in

BANGALORE

Leisure Credits

Editor’s Note Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

A

nd just like that, we complete a full year! Memories are still fresh in my mind, of how Gaylaxy was all born out of my sheer frustration with the fact that I had to often keep scavenging the web for gay related news articles. I thought to myself, 'Why can't there be a magazine which would bring everything under one roof?' After all, LGBT community is supposed to be a very talented one, and I hated the fact that despite such a pool of talent, I had to be at the mercy of one or two articles every now and then. This dissatisfaction led me to take a step forward in the final semester of my college. I was very apprehensive of how it would be received, and shared the idea with only two-three friends of mine. I still remember when I asked Sukanya, one of the editors, to help me out with the first issue. She asked, “And what plans do you have after this issue?” I had no answer as such, because I had no plans. I believed that people would come forward to help and so could only say, “Let's see, I am sure I will find people willing to write in, I can sustain it on my own for three issues. If I don't get a good response, I will stop.” And after a full year, I am glad to say that not only did I find writers to write for Gaylaxy, but the overwhelming response from all quarters just bowled us over and ensured that we kept coming out with regular issues (Ok, may be not so regular, but we keep trying).

Editor-in-Chief: Sukhdeep Singh Editors: Siddhant Pattanaik Sukanya Mahata Team of Writers: Rohan Noronha Dibyendu Paul Agnivo Niyogi Contributors: Louis Jonval Aditya Bondyopadhyay Victor Hadi Hussain Lawrin Souvik Biswas Bharathi Raghul Sanchita Srivastava Design: Peeyush Jain Pawan Koserwal Mukesh Prasad

Recently, while I was describing Gaylaxy's journey to a person, he said, “So you had a nice gay-friend circle in college who helped you out?” And I said, “No, they are all straight!”

Yes, one of the USPs of Gaylaxy is that there are many straight people involved, from its very beginning! From the graphic designers to the web-master and editors; Gaylaxy would be incomplete without them and their selfless efforts.

None of this would have been possible without their support and constant encouragement. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of you, our readers, for being all along in this wonderful journey, without your constant feedback and encouragement, the journey would have ended a long time ago.

Web: Apurv Gupta Marketing & Advertising: Divir Tiwari

Published from: Kolkata, India Email: editor@gaylaxymag.com Website: www.gaylaxymag.com

8 For business and advertising enquiries, Contact us at :

Love, Sukhi

adv@gaylaxymag.com

2 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Inside this issue

JAN-FEB ‘11 VOL 2 ISSUE 1 FEEDBACK Mailbox COVER STORY And the Award Goes to...

WORLD Pakistan Queer Movement G-NEWS G-News EVENTS Little Magazines do Big Wonder 35th International Kolkata Book Fair

Pg 5

Pg 6

Pg 11

Pg 13

Pg 15

Pg 17

SCIENCE & HEALTH

Unravelling the Untold Saga of LGBT People Ask Bhola Da RELATIONSHIP Casting a Love Spell Moving On LIFESTYLE First Aid for Dogs Escorting You

Pg 19

Pg 21

Pg 22

Pg 24

Pg 26

Pg 27

JAN-FEB ‘11 VOL 2 ISSUE 1

DE LA CUISINE PERSONALS Straight Talk Coming Out of the Closet A Hurt Pride LEISURE Let The Cards Speak Aar Ekti Premer Golpo Noah’s Arc : A Review LITERATURE Chowringhee Queen Poem Fiction: Forbidden Love in a Coal Mine

Pg 29

Pg 30

Pg 31

Pg 33

Pg 35

Pg 37

Pg 39

Pg 41

Pg 43

Pg 44

NGO Pg 47

NGO List

Feedback Leisure Leisure

MAILBOX

Hi Dear Sukhi!!!

I read the issue, I must say it's a great effort, very nicely highlighting the problems faced by filmmakers doing gay cinema in Bollywood. Overall loved the issue. Good work keep it up...Cheers...

-Maanav Raj Singh

The mag is looking good.

–Sridhar Rangayan Thank you Sukhdeep. I liked the issue so much, especially Raza's thoughts in “Gay musings From Across the Border”. Being gay is not just being unique in terms of sexuality; it's being unique in feelings, expressions. We do need to focus on our responsibilities. And the cover page is awesome!!

-Aakash, Hyderabad

Loved it.

–Lance D A lot Nice cover photo.

- Zayyden Thanks a ton and wish you a very happy and eventful new year – Mac Taureon

Hello, Sorry I missed out one of your important tweet - Oct issue of Gaylaxy mag on homophobia. Could u please send the link? Took a long break from twitter.

Thanks - @urohboyohboy Gaylaxy: All our previous issues can be read in the archive section. The link for it is http://gaylaxymag.com/archive.aspx

Thank you very much for your greetings. I wish the same.

What you have done for us all through this magazine is undoubtedly great. I wish the New Year gives wider publicity to the magazine and encourage your efforts with positive results. Once again, happy new year.

-Sachin

Loved it.Great work.

- Vernon O'Reilly Ramesar

Thank you Sukhdeep. Wish you too a very happy and gay 2011.

-Rajarshi Dear Sukhdeep, Thanks for your kind greeting message. I was in fact delighted to see my little effort being a part of your esteemed magazine. This surely was a great booster for me and will try to continue brining out my thoughts and share with you.

–Raza

I seek your assistance please. I am planning to spend the valentine weekend with my BF in Kol. Can you inform me about any events happening in KOL? Could you suggest a good restraurent for us to Wine & Dine on 14th Feb 2011? Are there any gay bars or rather gay friendly bars?

-Ravishankar Gaylaxy: Ginger, La Dolce Vita are gay friendly bars in Kolkata. As for restaurants,, there are many good ones there depending upon your budget etc.

Thanks for publishing Kashish call for entries.

5 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Cover Story Leisure

AND THE AWARD GOES TO...

We confer awards to a select few who inspired us all throughout last year, to stand up to the hurdles posed by life

A

s the year draws to a close, it's time to reflect. A year that was full of achievements, joys, sorrows, coming out, suicides, and humiliations. But at the end we emerge as a stronger community. Moving on, leaving behind our underperformance, as the New Year dawns, we take a vow to meet the challenges facing us with renewed vigour.

2010 has been a great year as far as LGBT activism is concerned. United States Senate repealed Don't Ask Don't Tell as I write this article, Ricky Martin, the iconic performer, came out of the closet. India had her second gay themed magazine in print. And of course, Gaylaxy was born in 2010! But at the same time we lost many members of the community who could not cope with the rising rate of bullying at schools. Despite Delhi High Court decriminalising homosexuality, attitude of people did not change. Dr. Siras became the victim of such apartheid against gays. But tiding over such mishaps, liberal thoughts dominated the centre stage in arts. Onir's I Am series (one film among them “I Am Abhimanyu� explores the exploitation of homosexuals), Dunno Y Naa Jane Kyun, Arekti Premer Golpo have made their mark.

Gay themed movies have secured a place for them in the skyline of Indian movies. And there are more to come.

With the hope that the indomitable spirit of the people who inspired us all throughout last year will inspire even more to stand up to the hurdles posed by life, we at Gaylaxy decided to confer awards to a select few people. Do share if you agree with our views, and send in your suggestions to add to the list.

6 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Cover Story Leisure

Icon of the Year Without any sheds of doubt, it has to be Ricky Martin. The Latin pop star with fan count running into zillions across the world chose to come out of the closet this year. “I am a fortunate homosexual man� were the words he chose to communicate to the world about his sexuality.

We hope his example will be emulated by several other social icons in India and across the world, so that people can perceive LGBT people as part of the mainstream of the society.

Inspiration of the Year Professor Ramchandra Siras, a faculty at Benaras Hindu University was unceremoniously removed from his post and banished from his dwellings in the campus for allegedly having sexual relations with a man. Maintaining dignified silence all during the episode, Dr Siras fought for his honour to be restored. Although finally surrendering to the evil clutches of death, Ramchandra Siras definitely showed us the way. Voices that were unheard of so far will not be muted any further.

Showman of the Year They say people in the creative field are always more liberal than the mainstream mob. A person of the stature of Rituparno Ghosh, who has been in the art of film making for more than one and a half decade and has explored the psychology of relationships, the dynamics of personal equations on his canvas with such ease; decided to portray the character of a gay director in his first film as an actor. His gesture gives strength to a million people in India, those who have to live with the trauma of being a part of the third gender. Rituparno, a vocal advocate of rights for the third gender, convinced even the government of India, with his performance, that portrayal of homosexual love can make good films too. His acting debut Arekti Premer Galpo won the Silver Peacock at the International Film Festival of India and was released on 24th December 2010. It has been running to packed theatres since then in Kolkata.

7 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Cover Story

Entrepreneur of the Year Shobhna S. Kumar, a social activist with 20 years of experience in human rights advocacy in the US, Australia and India, had been working with the "LGBT communities and spearheading HIV/AIDS projects" in India for the last eight years. She is the brain behind Queer-Ink India. The online book store is the stop for everything queer. It caters to the country's alternative community of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and trans-gender (LGBT) people and stacks up on genres like history of queer life, erotica and queer lingo.

New Kid on the Block Kapil Sharma took a plunge in the career of acting with a bold decision. He portrayed gay character on the silver screen in Dunno Y...Naa Jane Kyun a film that explores the relationship of two men.

The film even ran into troubles with the Censor board and radical Hindu outfits for its bold scenes of love making. In a nation where most films show gay characters as caricatures, where established heroes do not wish to irk their fan base by taking up roles of alternate sexuality, the zeal shown by this new comer is worth celebrating, and we salute his indomitable spirit.

Politician of the Year Labour MP and Europe Minister in UK, Chris Bryant exchanged vows with his partner Jared Cranney in the House of Commons earlier this year. This gesture by the MP goes a long way to seal the faith in many queer hearts that they too will be allowed to enter civil unions with their respective partners for life. Will India ever witness such a day?

Social Networker of the Year Move over Mark Zuckerberg, Jason Goldberg is here! In March 2010, this man founded the gay social networking site Fabulis on the lines of Facebook. With over 3 million USD as capital turnover and more than 110,000 members already, this site is sure to make a mark on the online networking world, giving a platform to the LGBT community to come forward and speak out.

8 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Cover Story Leisure

Sportsperson of the Year Although not gay, James Anderson deserves mention because, this cricketer from England had the guts to do what many across the world would chicken out on. Married with a child, this “straight� ally dropped his pants for a British Gay magazine! We wonder if someone from India could do it for Gaylaxy.

Also not to forget our very own Matthew Mitcham who won silver medal at the New Delhi Commonwealth Games and made the whole queer community proud. He should become an inspiration to many closeted sports stars to quit the closet and come out, that could improve their performance too... on the field we mean.

The Most Gay Friendly Nation This is a difficult choice, there are nations like Holland which legalised gay marriages in the beginning of this decade itself while many like South Africa, Belgium, Norway followed suit. But we believe, and it is our firm conviction that readers will agree too, that Nepal deserves a mention in this category. Faced with the worst political crises in the last few years, this small Himalayan country never shut its doors on the queer population living in that state. The self proclaimed MP from this country Mr Sunil K Pant, his NGO the Blue Diamond have worked hard to get equal rights for queer chartered in the constitution. And once the constitution is drafted, we believe Nepal could outshine other states in homophilia. As of now, Nepal is a popular South Asian destination for gay tourism.

Best Student Award Wondering what this award is doing in this list? Well, you don't need to be old and grown up to bring about change. Students are the most active members of the society, and this Mississippi teen just showed us how. She had simply wanted to attend the High School prom with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo. The school instead decided to cancel the prom itself. She fought for her rights and sued the authorities, finally winning the case. She soon became a national icon and was one of three grand marshals for New York City's annual Pride March. Constance McMillen surely sets up an example for all students worldwide to stand up for their rights.

9 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Cover Story Leisure

Recognition for New Ideas When we were brainstorming over who should be recognised in this category, in the back of our minds all of us had Gaylaxy in mind.

Shameless act as it might seem, but in this one year we have been able to touch lives. Reaching out the readers, bringing in new out of the box columns, Gaylaxy has been a merging ground for science, literature, fun, gossip and activism. The new kid on the block does need a pat on the back to embark on a greater journey, what say?

The Pink Chaddi Award Needless to say who deserves this award, isn't it? Despite being under attack from religious groups across the spectrum, the queer community had been the special target of this man who wants to spread “Bharat Swabhiman”. Marginalising of homosexuals, a hidden agenda of this man who claims to have the “cure” for this “genetic disease” called homosexuality, this publicity freak Baba had previously claimed to have found the cure for cancer, to all biologists' horror. People like him who create rifts in the social fabric of India in the name of nationalism, take note. The Pink Chaddi is coming the Baba's way (after Ram Sene chief Muthu got to wear it a few years back). Baba Ramdev ji, wont it be a wonderful site it you practised pranayam wearing the pink chaddi?

Special Mention She has always been at the centre of some controversy. But those could not bog her indomitable spirit down. Lady Gaga has always been vocal about gay rights, at the forefront of slamming Don't Ask Don't Tell, she even admitted that her famous song “Poker Face” was about her bisexuality. Hope her vocal chords keep enthralling her fans and she always makes the headlines in news with her “unique” pieces of news (and dresses).

And of course, for us at Gaylaxy, every queer out there fighting the society for his/her dignity deserves mention and salutes. Our readers are our real winners, without whom we would not have been able to exist for one long year.

Let us embark on a new journey towards hope, resolution and belief that Together we Can, Together we Will.

10 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure World

PAKISTAN QUEER MOVEMENT With Social Networking sites bringing about a social revolution in Middle East, Hadi Hussain talks to the founder of Pakistan Queer Movement, an active Facebook group for Pakistani LGBTs It was in the last quarter of 2009 when I heard of the Pakistan Queer Movement (formerly known as Pakistan LGBTQ Movement), for the very first time. Immediately, I searched the group on Facebook and there it was with a thriving number of fans and members, talking intensely over issues relevant to LGBT community in general and Pakistani LGBT in particular. I was really enthralled to see that some serious queer Pakistani stuff is finally online. Before that, I had never heard of Nuwas Manto, the founder of PQM and was really interested in meeting that

guy who has taken such a bold initiative. And finally one day, I managed to get in contact with him and since then, we have been friends. A young, bright enthusiastic guy, who identifies himself as secular humanist and has derived his online name from Abu Nuwas, a classical Arabic gay poet and from Saadaat Hasan Manto, renowned Urdu writer, famous for writing on social taboos of the society. Although it's hard to interview one's friend but I have undertaken this endeavor especially for the readers of Gaylaxy Magazine.

Q. How did the Pakistan out to be really effective.

Queer Movement start and why you chose Facebook as Q. How did people respond a mean to interact? to it?

It started years back when Orkut was still alive. However, I did not get much response there, so in 2009 I started this group on Facebook after realizing that there was not a single politically active Pakistani LGBT online community. I so much wanted to have a forum where there is more to being Queer and Queer issues than exchanging telephone numbers for one night stands.

And to answer why Facebook, there were two reasons: i) Facebook seemed to be the 'most happening thing' possible online and ii) I had noticed that as a forum for gathering people, Facebook has a mass appeal and turns

Honestly, the response was astounding; even more than I'd hoped for. It attracted queer as well as straight individuals who believed in the equality of human beings and wanted to raise their voices against any kind of discrimination on the basis of sexual and gender orientation.

about homosexuality and to leave this activism. However, look at it this way: I have come into contact with not only various activists and supporters across the globe but also to the people who needed advice about their sexuality.

Thus I am a happy man.

Q. Why do you think it was important to come up with this project as there are several other burning issues in Pakistan?

Q. Have you faced any No one else is working on it. We threat after starting a do have countless local and foreign organizations and public group online?

NGO's working for the I guess I have been lucky. I e ra d i c a t i o n o f i l l i t e ra c y, haven't had any fatwa against poverty, corruption etc and me or even PQM as of yet. But promoting rights of women and yes, a woman once tried to children, but no one is coming insinuate me and a humble forward to support or even to Muslim brother who tried to talk about queer issues. Queer show me how wrong I was rights are indeed human rights

11 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure World and our society cannot grow by ignoring or undermining queer issues. And secondly, there was a time when I was very suicidal but there was this urge in me as well to be a vocal warrior for the Queer community and that kept me going. So, as Coelho said, I am following my personal legend as well through this activism.

Q. What you consider as your greatest achievement so far?

The fact that PQM has been recognized as a useful forum for queer activism by queer and non queer individuals alike in Pakistan and the world over. Of course, we have miles to cover before we can say that we are satisfied. But we are definitely progressing towards it. There are other underground Queer groups in Pakistan but the way PQM was born on a public forum for all to see was something of a new experience even to some of my Queer friends and acquaintance.

Q. What were your aims and how you are going about them?

Initially, we did not know we will be able to take it out of the realm of internet as we are doing now (by arranging meet ups in Lahore). Therefore, at first the aims were limited and so was the vision. But it has broadened and this will be continued in the future. Its foremost aim has been community building and letting the Queer Pakistanis be aware of their fundamental human rights, the fact that they are not alone, that Queerness means more than sex and that they can be religious and queer

as well.

like Manjam and Planet Romeo where people shop for sex, sex Other basic aim has been to and yes again sex. That's a raise voice for the queer rights community too. in the political and social sphere of Pakistan. Right now, Q. Have you faced any we can neither have a Pride p r o b l e m w i t h i n t h e Parade nor can we raise the community? issue at the national or provincial assemblies, for that When there are several people w o u l d b e f u t i l e a n d working on, there is always devastating. But definitely as a difference of opinions. And movement (and movements PQM has its share of toils as l i v e w a y l o n g e r t h a n well. There was a certain group individuals) the long-term aim admin whose contributions will of Pakistan Queer Movement is b e a c k n o w l e d g e d a n d to create the scenario where respected. But he ran amok our future generations can after a personally attacking have and enjoy political, legal comment was removed from and social equality. the Facebook group wall. He did Moreover, PQM has also an unimaginably preposterous envisioned to counsel and thing: he sent a message to all dialogue with questioning 620 online members personally i n d i v i d u a l s a s w e l l a s attacking me. Strike One! undecided straight allies who want to support queer equality Also, we have trouble gathering b u t h e s i t a t e d u e t o like minded active members as r e l i g i o u s / p o l i t i c a l / s o c i a l most of them are either not reasons. interested or associated with another older queer Q. Do you think there is any organization. Strike Two. LGBT community existing in Pakistan?

Q. Where do you see PQM in next five years?

Honestly, yes and no. This is where the work of Pakistan Personally, I see Pakistan Queer Movement and other Queer Movement doing more such groups is required. We and more work towards Queer need to build up a community equality and help in building of Queers in Pakistan which the bridge between Straight believes in Queer equality and and Queer folks. We want to thinks that there is more to speak out loud about Pakistan's queer sexualities than just Queer community and make a blowing up each other's difference. On an individual g e n i t a l i a . T h e r e i s a n level if I can help a Queer increasing number of educated person everyday I would be Pakistanis who are getting living a satisfied life. I see aware of their sexuality and the Pakistan Queer Movement the fact that there needs to be work forerunner to the Queer done on these issues. But they revolution in this country. I are only handful and we need a know it will be an arduous lot of them. journey but I am sure that with On the other hand, there are the help of our supporters and gay social networking websites members, we can do it.

12 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

G-NEWS Leisure

Ü Ugandan Gay rights activist David Kato was beaten to death in his own house.

Kato had been outed by Ugandan tabloid Rolling Stone, with the headline “Hang Them”. He had sued the tabloid and won the case.

Ü

France's constitutional court has upheld the ban on gay marriages, ruling that the ban did not breach the French constitution and it was up to parliament whether to change the law or not.

Ü A newly launched Thai airline, PC Airline has adopted a policy of recruiting transsexuals as flight attendants in an effort to offer equal opportunities to the ''third sex. It has hired three transsexuals, 17 women, and 10 men in its initial recruitment drive and plans to hire more.

Ü Gay marriages

as well as civil partnerships conducted in other countries will be legally accepted in Ireland, but only as civil partnerships. “Unions from 27 countries or states will be recognised, 17 of which currently give gay couples the right to marry. Couples will be automatically considered as civil partners and will not need to register,” wrote Pink News.

Ü 26-year-old US figure skating champion Johnny Weir has confirmed that he's gay through his new autobiography, Welcome to My World.

Ü

The Kids Are All Right, a movie about Lesbian couples, won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.

Ü A new research, published in the latest edition of the British Journal of Psychiatry, has found that depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, phobia, selfharm, suicidal thoughts and alcohol and drug dependence were more common among people who were gay, lesbian or bisexual (LGB).

The Kids Are All Right

Ü

Even as India struggles to decriminalize homosexuality, British Govt. plans to allow same-sex unions to be celebrated in places of worship, removing a key legal distinction between homosexual civil partnerships and heterosexual marriage.

Ü The House of

Representatives of Hawaii passed a bill to allow civil unions for same-sex partners. The Bill has to be passed by the Senate before it comes up before the Governor to be signed into a law.

13 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

G-NEWS Leisure

G- NEWS: INDIA Ü Supreme Court kept aside April 19 as the day for final hearing of all petitions involving Sec 377. The court dismissed another petition filed by an astrologer seeking to make the armed forces a party to the case.

Ü A group of 19 parents have filed a petition before the Supreme Court saying that criminalizing homosexuality harms families and leaves their children vulnerable to discrimination, harassment and ostracism by society.

Ü Director Onir had to undergo a lot of mental trauma after actor Yuvraaj Parashar claimed to have been molested by the director at his house. Onir, on the other hand maintained that it was a consensual act and filed a defamation suit against the actor.

Yuvraaj later issued a written unconditional apology and withdrew all allegations against Onir.

Ü The Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Bill, which seeks to bring the growing surrogacy “market” of India under legislation, has been finalized by the Union health ministry. While a single man or woman, a married couple or an unmarried couple, who are in a live-in relationship can commission a surrogate, lesbian and gay couples have been smartly excluded. “Since we have defined couple as two persons living together and having legal sex, lesbians and gays won't be allowed to use ART. Once India makes this relationship permissible, lesbians and gays can also go for IVF," Dr R S Sharma, deputy director general of division of reproductive health and nutrition, ICMR, was quoted as saying.

Ü

Queer Azadi March 2011 was attended by more than 3000 people in Mumbai, many choosing not to hide themselves behind masks. The march was held on Jan 29th and was preceded by a week long celebration in the form of various events.

Ü At the 'National

Seminar on Transgenders and the Law', legal fraternity advocated granting transgenders greater “social and political” acceptance and recommended effective legal intervention to end ostracism.

Ü In an attempt to make the next five- year plan an inclusive one, the Planning Commission plans to hold consultations with all segments of civil society groups, including transgenders.

Ü

While Sudan, Pakistan, China, Russia, Senegal, Venezuela, Burundi, Morocco and Nicaragua voted in the UN to block consideration of ILGA's (International Lesbian and Gay Association) application for UN status, India voted in favour.

14 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Events Leisure

LITTLE MAGAZINES DO BIG WONDER 35th International Kolkata Book Fair saw the launch of a new Bengali Magazine on sexuality issues called Prakashye-Proshongo Jounota, while two other bilingual magazines Swikriti Patrika and Swakanthey sold a record number of copies this time, writes Sukhdeep Singh

E

ven in this digital world of today, where tablets and e-readers are putting up a question mark on hard copies of books and magazines, no one can deny the delight of flipping through the pages and that smell of the freshly printed book. It is no wonder that we still go out to buy magazines and books. For book lovers, book fairs are a treasure ground, with books of

different genres, authors, publishers and topics, all available at one place. The annual Kolkata Book Fair presents one such opportunity not only for book lovers, but also for many budding writers.

The 35th International Kolkata Book Fair was held from 25th Jan – 6th Feb, and along with the thousands of books and magazines available there, three different

magazines stood out and made a definite mark, spreading the message of love, equality and answering many of the curious questions related to sexuality.

While both Swikriti Patrika, taken out by Dum Dum Swikriti (Kolkata), and Swakanthey, taken out by Sappho for Equality (Kolkata), are bilingual magazines(Bengali and English) that had their first issue released at the Kolkata

15 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Events Leisure Book Fair in 2004, this year, Pratyay Gender Trust launched a Bengali magazine PrakashyeProshongo Jounota, with the first issue focused on human rights.

Both Dum Dum Swikriti and Sappho for Equality had their own stalls in the Little Magazine Section, where more than 100 magazines put up their stalls, and were able to grab a lot of eyeballs.

Swakanthey is a biannual, bilingual magazine and is described by Akanksha, a cofounder of Sappho for Equality, as a “platform where people can talk about issues of women sexuality” with contributors not only from the community, but also from the “mainstream” society, including renowned poets, journalists and activists.

This book fair saw the 15th issue of the magazine getting released. Dum Dum Swikriti released the 8th issue of their annual bilingual magazine Swikriti Patrika. On the other hand, Pratyay Gender Trust did not set up a different stall and instead chose to sell Prakashye through other stalls, including that of Swikriti and Sappho.

“Our target audience is civil society at large, regardless of orientation. We did not limit ourselves to one particular stall,” said Anindya Hajra, coordinator of Pratyay Gender Trust.

Both Sappho for Equality and Dum Dum Swikiriti agreed that unlike previous years, people were more forthcoming

and their stalls were never empty. “There is a difference… the scenario has changed quite a bit. We did not face reluctancy, which we faced until last year,” said Akanksha.

That such efforts are finally bringing in a change in the society can be gauged by this incident that Akanksha recalls happily, “A unique thing happened twice this time. A mother took her daughter to our table and requested us to share our views with her daughter, who was in 9th standard.” The book fair has thousands of people from all walks of life coming in each day. So, when Swikiriti Patrika overdid their sales of last year, and Prakashye sold around 400 copies in just three days, there is a reason to be upbeat. “In B o o k F a i r, m a n y n o n community people also buy our magazines and ask us about our work, so we directly reach out to the society,” points out Kunal of Swikriti. Sappho for Equality far exceeded their own expectations when they sold out more than 4800 copies of Swakanthey this year. “We were so excited that we marched throughout the ground on the last day with posters, rainbow flags and a got a huge attention. We use the Book Fair as a tool to advocacy,” said Akanksha.

Ecstatic at the response each of them have got this year, they plan to sell more copies of their magazines through various channels

throughout the year. Pratyay has launched Prakashye as a quarterly magazine, and the magazine can be bought from their office, and will also be available at various bookstores, including the Wo r l d v i e w B o o k s t o r e i n Jadavpur University. They also plan to send copies of the magazine to all district libraries in West Bengal. Swikriti and Sappho also have similar plans.

While there has been a surge in magazines on gay issues in English, the void left behind due to lack of such magazines in regional languages is being filled by Swakanthey, Swikriti Patrika and Prakashey. It must not be forgotten, that a large population of this country still does not speak or read English, and if the message of love and equality needs to be spread, more of such publications in regional languages are required. There is no reason to disagree when Akanksha says, “We have slowly been able to percolate in the public psyche.

They have started thinking about LBT issues. People have shown very positive change.”

The first issue of Prakashye can also be read online for free at : http://issuu.com/prakashyeprasanga_jounota/docs/praka shyeproshongo_jounota?mode=e mbed&layout=http://skin.issu u.com/v/light/layout.xml

16 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Events Leisure

35TH INTERNATIONAL KOLKATA BOOK FAIR

17 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

Pictures Courtesy: Dum Dum Swikriti and Sappho for Equality www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Events Leisure

tall

the s g n i g n o r h t eople

P

Esctatic Sappho member’s take out a rally 18 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Science & Health Leisure Leisure

UNRAVELING THE UNTOLD SAGA OF LGBT PEOPLE: A BEGINNING TOWARDS NEW HORIZON Sancita Srivastava, a researcher at IIT Delhi tells how her current research on LGBTs can provide new directions to Indian researches focusing on the issues related to the community and how you can be a part of it too

T

alking about sex is still considered as a taboo in India, so expecting people talking openly about homosexuality and its related issues is difficult. The question comes in every mind, why is it so? Well! There could be many reasons one can give to rationalize one's opinion in terms of straight or gay perspective. Due to the recent activities and efforts made by LGBT people, at least society is aware of their existence. This has also created a boundary between the world and the LGBT people and the world is seen in two ways only (gay world & straight world). Lot of misconceptions and phobias about LGBT people exist in India that influence nearly every setting like workplace, social relations, school environment, etc. Recently the change in Indian law by decriminalizing the IPC 377 is considered as biggest achievement and is a milestone in the struggle of social acceptance of homosexuality in India. In fact, it is believed to be renaissance for the social change in Indian value system.

Surely it has an impact for the LGBT people per se, now they have an open existence in Indian society by getting approval in law.

But is it really the current scenario? This question keeps on coming in my mind.

Does existence in law change the thinking of traditional Indian mindsets? Does it really help people in coming out of the

closet? Is it really breaking the barriers between the gay and heteroworld? Does it really help in bridging the gap between the LGBT people and the society?

Undoubtedly, the world is changing and progressing in many ways towards understanding and respecting the diversity among the people in society. Still, a lot of questions in our mind remain unanswered. My research is a small initiative to find out the upshot of the changing law as well as the attitude of the society on the self acceptance and the coming out of the LGBT people. Present research is an attempt to understand misconceptions and stereotypes about the LGBT people prevalent in the society. This understanding will help me in developing interventions to minimize prevalent stereotypes and discrimination existing against homosexuals in India. This would not be possible without the support of the LGBT community people. As research targeting LGBT issues is scant within the Indian cultural milieu, this research would provide new directions to Indian researches focusing on the issues related to LGBT people.

Please benevolently participate in this research and make a significant contribution by adding your life experiences with this research.

19 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Science & Health Leisure Leisure

welcomed. The participant can anonymously participate and contribute by sharing their valuable life experiences. They can fill up the survey by directly clicking the URL of the survey or download the form which they can fill up and send via mail on the given postal address at the end of this page or send via email.

About the Researcher: Sanchita Srivastava is pursuing PhD from the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi under the supervision of Prof Purnima Singh. She is at present a UGC senior research fellow at IIT Delhi.

« For the interview,

all modes of participation are welcomed. The participant can meet the researcher in person and share their life experiences or can give their interview via phone, skype, gtalk, chat or share their blogs.

Methodology of the Research:

«

The confidentially would be maintained by the researcher. Everything related to the participant would be kept confidential and will remain between the researcher and the participant only. Under no circumstances their confidentiality will be shared with anyone.

The research has been divided into two sections: a)Survey Study: A survey study (quantitative study) targeting the responses of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender) people on a standardized questionnaire. This questionnaire is based on issues LGBT people have been facing or may expect to face while they come out to share their identity with others. The survey is also tapping the self perception about self acceptance about the sexual identity of the LGBT people. b)Interview Study: It is a qualitative study based on semi-structured interview method to capture the elaborative and significant life experiences of the LGBT people.

Contact details Researcher:

« All Indian LGBT people are welcome to participate in the research.

«

The research needs voluntary participation for the survey as well as for the interview. The participant can participate in both the studies or can participate in any one of the two studies independently. in

all

the

modes

the

Name: Sanchita Srivastava Designation: Senior Research Fellow (UGC) Mailing Address: Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Huaz Khas, New Delhi, India. Pincode: 110016 Email address: sanchitasrivastava@hss.iitd.ernet.in; sanchitasrivastava@yahoo.co.in Phone No: Office: 011-26591367; Mobile: 09999893778

Terms of Participation:

« Participation

of

To participate in the survey please click on: https://spreadsheets.google.com/vie wform?formkey=dHZWazJ0Qnh1MloybWR uMHA5anhFT2c6MQ

is

20 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Science & Health Leisure Leisure

ASK BHOLADA

H

ello friends. Wish the New Year has been a good start to your life.

Rubbing away the sorrows and pains of 2010 we are looking ahead at a bright new 2011. My sincerest prayers for all my readers: May the Almighty make your life even better with every passing day. However your health is in your han d s and you must take care of it.

Viruses are wonderful creatures, aren't they? On one hand we do not know if we can call them living or non living, on the other they keep subterfuging human efforts to disarm them. One virus especially has made it impossible for scientists across the globe to have a “chain ki neend�. That's the human immunodeficiency virus(HIV). Actually, these viruses belong to a class called retroviruses which have RNA as their genetic material instead of the universal DNA (we can have an issue on retroviruses some other time, right now I wish to talk about a specific retrovirus).

Another ssRNA virus called the Hepatitis A virus is responsible for the fatal liver disease.

Question: What is Hepatitis A? Is it a sexually transmitted disease?

the body with specific IgM antibodies. Hence the blood IgM level proves to be a good benchmark for hepatitis infection measurements.

After the incubation period of 2 weeks the level of IgM will surely rise in the blood. Blood profiling for other indicators of infection (like leucocyte count etc.) are also done as preliminary exercise.

Bholada: Hepatitis is a chronic inflammation of the liver. It is caused by the infection with hepatitis A virus or HAV. Mainly spread through contaminated food and water, it can also spread through direct contact with the patient. The virus is mainly present in the stool of the infected person.

Another diagnosis for the disease is perhaps Liver Function Tests. The serum concentrations of enzymes like SGPT, SGOT and also biochemical analysis of serum bilirubin, serum cholesterol etc. serve to give us an insight into the damage caused to the liver. These are non specific and have to be supported with more specific tests for HAV.

Hepatitis A is also classified under sexually transmitted infection because it can be passed on form a person to another by sexual intercourse, especially anal intercourse and rimming.

Question: What are the symptoms of Hepatitis A?

Question: How can the disease be prevented?

Bholada: The hepatitis virus actually kills and damages liver cells. Symptoms of hepatitis appear the same as that of flu, hence resulting in wrong diagnosis several times.

Some patients show no symptoms at all for as many as 6 weeks. However, in almost 80% of the sufferers the symptoms include mild fever, abdominal cramps and pain, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite. Symptoms of jaundice may also set in with excessive loss of bile through urine.

Bholada: Vaccines against hepatitis virus are now available. Vaccination is a solution to the menace of this virus. Personal hygiene and sanitation measures also keep the virus away.

Eating healthy and keeping yourself away from unhygienic environment just helps you in this feat. And since HAV can be spread sexually, care must be taken to avoid any unsafe experience. Fun should not come at the cost of life.

There is no treatment of Hepatitis A. Hence, all we can do is keep the virus at bay.

Question: What is the diagnosis for Hepatitis A?

Stay safe, practice safe sex. Enjoy the New Year. Toodles.

Bholada: The HAV antigen is countered by

h h Have any query? Write to us at editor@gaylaxymag.com 21

Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Relationship

CASTING A LOVE SPELL Inspired by the Harry Potter wizardry, many “love potions” are being sold online, Rohan Noronha tells you why love cannot be bought or cast by a spell ecently we have received a lot of queries from young men and women or even matured blokes and ladies, who ask you just one question – Is there a SPELL to bring back my ex or to keep my current lover with me?

R

moot point here is love has no perfect definitions, nor has it been a path too easy.

Confusing as it seems, two people can only make the relationship perfect when they start shedding their expectations from one another and learn to adapt.

Lord Almighty! People, if LOVE could be bought for a lifetime, then wouldn't we have life easier for us to endure? The

Have you heard of free will? If not, Google it! Remember, as a WICCAN (google this as well), I do not encourage anyone on

forcibly acquiring love or companionship. Free will has a big role to play here, if your lover was not meant to be a lover but just a friend or an acquaintance, then you need to let that be and respect the laws of the spirit world. Go ahead if you want (at your own risk), buy a love spell from one of those fake websites online to conquer his or her heart. My friend, that's NOT true love, that's LUST. You wouldn't want

22 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Relationship to be regretting this decision of yours anytime soon, especially when the backfiring happens.

Do not buy love spells, or spells that promise you success in love, luck or career. They don't work. What would work is your intention. Remember, if your intent is right and you keep a positive bent of mind you would then attract the best around you, which will come to you when the time is right (don't ask me when will that time be, because it depends on the Karmic records).

There are many cases, where such spells may have worked, and without doubting the capability of the spell-caster or their domains, one wouldn't want to tread any further on what the repercussions may have been. Imagine this, you use a hair bleaching product,

Find love from within before finding love outside. you turn blonde or red head instantly. Is that your true hair do? No, it is not. Someday it would fade and when it does, you realise that you need to go in for a makeover again, but your hair is damaged due to chemical treatments, you yearn for that shine, you pay more and the list can go on!

The same is true with spells that have wrong intentions; you can only imagine the same.

How would you like it if someone put a HEX on you?

Someone wanted to love you

forcibly? Would you feel loved?

Wouldn't it be an odd situation, that although you just treat the other person as a friend, yet you are somehow being forced to love him or her? Well that is exactly what you would be doing, and when the energies of the spell don't find a route to embellish itself, it comes back to you with anger, ten times as intense. Need I say more what would be next on offer?

Find love from within before finding love outside. When you accept your sexuality you accept love coming to you in all forms. The real gay man or lesbian woman out there would instantly identify your true qualities. Wouldn't that be nicer? Think about it. If you want to use your money, help an NGO or make a difference to a street pet, but don't pay these scamsters!

23 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Relationship

MOVING ON Break ups can be really hard to deal with, Agnivo Niyogi gives you tips on how to deal with heartbreaks

W

e have all grown up reading fairy tales.

And we believed it when the Prince walks into the life of the damsel in distress and rescues her into a life of unbound happiness, happily ever after. Did we all not spend nights dreaming about the Dday when our “man� will come riding into our mundane lives and make it gorgeously colourful? Fantasy meets reality only in the surreal

realm. Truth dawns upon us one day and we accept our fate, surrendering to the best we get in this world.

The concept of a Dream man is ingrained in our psyche.

Life offers us choices, and we mould them to satiate our soul. In the process, rejection and rejuvenation constantly stalk us. Putting us through a turbulent mental struggle, life moves on. In the

quest for one right man, we subject ourselves to hundred wrong ones, realising each time that we were wrong.

Moving on is easier said than done. Handling break up is no child's play.

Stability in a gay relationship is still a distant dream. Lack of individual dedication is not as big a reason, as is the social stigma attached to a same sex relationship. Much worse is

24 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Relationship the attitude of the Indian family to a live in relationship.

The fast life one leads often makes it difficult to balance the personal and professional lives. Family takes a back seat in the list of priorities.

Insecurities creep in, and in a world where time is more valuable than money; lack of investment dooms a relationship.

But this is not some new discovery. Why did I reiterate?

Going through a tumultuous relationship is painful. And a break up is a life shattering experience. Sometimes a sour end leaves a deep scar in the mind which may not heal in a lifetime. Depressions lead to addictions, some start questioning their identity and take drastic measures to avoid facing life.

Depression Losing someone you had held on to for a long time makes your mind vulnerable to weakness. Akin to an idle mind, a weak mind shows tendencies of drifting away from the right path. Mind can be enslaved into rebellion.

Happiness disappears and a wave of emotions frequent the tear glands. It is very important that we keep ourselves engaged in daily activities instead of sailing on the ship of memories. Letting go is essential. And making up the mind for it is the first step.

Listening to music helps. So does shopping, reading or cooking. Anything that will

keep your grey cells busy is welcome change. A chat on the phone with friends proves to be a great healer.

Drugs A weak mind surrenders to the sins very easily. In a desperate attempt to live life post break up, people give in to addictions. A simple cup of coffee or an illegal tranquillizer, both qualify as addictions.

Unprescribed drugs when taken in uncontrolled amounts to shut the doors on the world, may give rise to a world of illusion. Facing reality is a task we all shy away from in real life, but instances of emotional upheaval just intensify the urge. Drugs prove an easy way out. Saying no to drugs is easy as well as difficult. We must know when to stop. Restraint will grow on us if we cultivate the habit. You can read the September issue of Gaylaxy where the issue of substance abuse was discussed.

Promiscuity Loneliness wrecks our sanity. Alone we strive to tide the times but seldom do we manage. The search for a companion continues as always. Desires of flesh and a sudden loss of a close mate, often resurrects the impulsive forager in us. Digging into the depths of mysteries people have been trying to unravel since creation, seeking moments of pleasure, living in denial of life in those brief periods of fun, addiction gets a new meaning. Addiction to sex has nothing to do with sex. It is

like any other substance abuse with the object of desire changing to human meat.

Frivolous mixing, unprotected encounters, no holds barred indulgence can accompany us to the pits dug to serve as our graves. A lone wait is sometimes a better solution.

Suicide The road not taken often is the most treaded path.

Inability to accept life as it comes often brings us face to face with questions we wish we never had to answer. A break up can provide the foundation for such a situation. While the aforesaid results of a break up may act as pillars, suicide provides the ceiling on which people choose to hang their lives. Touted as a cowardly escapist act and highly abhorred in religious texts, suicide is an act which requires a lot of courage. However only the meek possess such courage. Seeking redemption in death is paradoxical. It can never be the solution. Life gives a reason to live. And we must use it to the full.

The process of self discovery is never complete. It goes on till we meet our natural death. A companion is our guide on the road to knowledge. A loss of one always means a new one is waiting for us at the crossroads. We must keep moving. Without fail. Without sorrow. With determination.

Life never disappoints in the long run.

25 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Lifestyle Leisure Leisure

FIRST AID FOR DOGS JUST IN CASE RAMBO NEEDS IT -Rohan Noronha

F

irst Aid for dogs is what you need to know, when the vet is not around to help and that is usually the case. We have first aid for humans. So, why not for pets? But very few of us know about it, hence the article to help you learn more.

First Aid for dogs helps to save a life, bring down suffering and to prevent further deterioration in the process. While administering first aid, please remember to stay calm, allow enough air for the pet to breathe, learn to control the bleeding and call the VET. When handling dogs' injuries, don't be harsh; use a soft touch. Get a leash on the dog and a noose around his mouth carefully. Get the dog examined and apply your senses, which means check the breathing of the dog, look for bleeding and how to control it, see if there are fractures or wounds, which need immediate attention. Once these steps

towards first aid are done, then get the pooch ready for the trip to the vet. If he can walk, allow him or else carry him in a basket or a dog c a r r i e r, w i t h p r o p e r breathing space.

For poisoning cases, the first aid would be to make him vomit, put salt in his mouth or to give him a laxative. But the best thing here would be to speak to your vet and follow his instructions. For bleeding, apply pressure using your thumbs on the spot, use a pad and apply pressure on the artery to stop bleeding.

If Rambo has wounds, like scalds or burns, then cool it using water, but the dog should be kept warm with a blanket while applying this method of first aid. Dress the area using a sterile bandage or pad. Never use lotions, creams or powders on any burnt areas; this would lead to puss formation and a possible gangrene.

For fractures, use wooden or metal splints or even a

newspaper rolled up and make it support the affected parts, but call your vet soon after this is done.

If Rambo's nose bleeds, use a cold compress on the area, if he fractures a tooth or teeth, call the vet and get him sedated to remove the remaining parts.

Cold compress prior to the calls is the best first aid to be applied here. The same would apply for nicks and cuts on tongues, lips and nose. If he has swallowed a ball, he could be suffocated.

Use a corkscrew gently if your fingers fail to pull the ball out, or else call your vet.

For bloating issues, you NEED THE VET. If he has swallowed coins, stones or balls, the small ones will pass away without trouble; the big ones need a vet's expertise. For eye injuries, the eyeballs need to be kept moist at all times with saline, butter or oil. Speak to your vet for more alternatives on first aid for dogs.

26 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Lifestyle Leisure

Rohan Noronha tells you the things one needs to know while hiring an escort from any social network

A

ction is what we all look for, big time, don't we? Some of us look around in the real world (the brave ones who are out and open), while the not so lucky ones, like most we know (known by many names) look online. Not that it is any of our business, but hiring escort services can be quite risky. To begin with you really don't know the character of the person! Secondly, you can get mugged if they are a part of the anti-gay gangs, if you know what I mean. However, if you are wondering why this article features in this

magazine today, or OMG we don't ever do such things, or India doesn't have such a concept, Hello! Wake up!! Knock knock!! Let's not fool ourselves or be hypocritical any further.

Before you get onto hiring an escort to come and satisfy all your carnal desires, here are a few pointers that we would like to help you with.

There are a few warnings that come along with it and you should be aware of them, so that your experience is a pleasurable one and you enjoy every moment of the experience, rather than being fleeced through scams and facing sexual

27 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Lifestyle Leisure blackmails in future.

or demean.

The team of escorts specific would be able to help novices like you (if you are one) with all the questions and queries that may haunt your mind, so don't be shy and embarrassed to ask the what, where, how , when and why's of escort services and dating online.

þ Get to know one another, which will help the intimation between the two of you grow stronger. Be honest with your escort on what kind of pleasures you want for the time frame when you are asked for an answer, and don't force your fantasies down on him if he doesn't want it.

Before you contact an escort, it is important to check on certain things, which we now have listed for your information keepsake:

þ

Check the gallery page carefully and read everything about the escort in question.

þ

Always keep a second choice just in case the one you want is not around.

þ

Call the number given and then make your booking as per your needs and budget.

þ Always be respectful and well prepared to meet your escort the way one would be when meeting a friend in the day to day scene.

This article was written with the hope that you understand how to be when you have escort males visiting you or you visiting them for the first time. Remember, your cooperation on a human basis is as important as his on an escort basis. It takes two to tango, so be compassionate and considerate, after all every team member is a human at the end of the day being paid for a job respectfully well done.

Rohan is a freelance writer and his articles can be found at www.sooperarticles.com

þ

Bathe and brush, your escort is human and needs to be turned on as well, even though he would be servicing you.

ý Too much alcohol

should be avoided, it could frighten your escort and the breath is unpleasant.

ý

Don't keep the escort waiting if the venue is his apartment, be on time, not too early and certainly not too late (haggling for time not allowed, they have other clients on the schedule).

þ

Be polite at the first meeting and offer your escort a drink, but don't force it down his throat.

Talk and have fun while you share your wine and dine.

ý As soon as he walks into the house, don't jump on him like a hungry lion, he maybe being paid for the time with you but respect is certainly important, which will be a good investment for later times.

ý Remember the

boys are professionals; their personal lives shouldn't be invaded on just as you wouldn't like yours to be. Be friendly and stick to old topics of discussion and don't judge

28 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Lifestyle Leisure

Jonval Green anise (pimpinella anisum ) Green anise has been cultivated since time immemorial in the Mediterranean Basin. Greeks used it extensively for culinary purposes due to its medicinal values, especially to treat muscular aches, the traditional Chinese medicine uses it in its pharmacopoeia and the Indian medicine swore by it in 5th century.

Green anise calms down the nervous cramps. A stimulant of the general tonus and tonicardiaque, it accelerates the hormonal secretions. Slightly exhilarating, it has a laid-back action and helps fight your sexual inhibitions.

I tested two very different manners to assert or counter the aphrodisiac benefactions of the green anise.

In infusion: u Pour 15 grams of seeds dried in ½ litter of boiling water u Let it infuse for ten minutes u Drink three cups a day between the meals In massage : Here is a (practicable) method using green anise so that your partner reaches

his (or her) sexual paroxysm (and yours also!) according to Kama Sutra, which assures "to subject my partner to my power". u Crush seeds of anise to make a fine powder as some flour u Mix this powder with some honey to obtain porridge. u Apply this "porridge" to your lingam (pĂŠnis) before sexual intercourse in a way that it penetrates as profoundly as possible.

Comments I tried the infusion and especially the massage since the ingredients are easy to find. All you need are seeds of anise, some honey and of course, an understandable partner... but the application of the porridge before sex disgusted my partner at first, which was followed by a giggle which made all my claims void..

In any case the green anise was considered for a long time as an aphrodisiac but no scientific study proved it. I write about it here because I tried the recipe of Kama Sutra... and I spent an excellent relaxing evening.

29 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Personals

STRAIGHT TALK Saurabh Sharma returns after a year in this column and says it's high time the community presses for its rights on all fronts

H

ello friends! I again have the privilege of sharing my views relating to LGBT community in this highly praised magazine.

Things were different last year, now things have changed. We heard a lot about colourful rallies, parades, judgements etc. which made straights believe that now this community is going to fight for its rights at every possible level. Good for you guys. Keep it up! But this time in this column, I am not going to talk about a straight person's confrontations with gays for the first time and all, we need to go beyond that and it's high time!!

But unfortunately, things aren't as clear as I was

expecting them to be. Some questions are still unanswered; some stories still need to be explored further. I had raised some concerns which a neutral straight has in his/her mind while perceiving the feelings of LGBT community, like issues relating to your marriage (one thing I would like to clear here is that this issue is prominent in our Indian middle class families, that is why you find it so hard to come out to the family, other classes do not face such situations) and livelihood.

Your parents expect you to marry a girl and you are accountable and answerable to them, but now when you'll reveal your sexuality, you need to solve the whole mess not only in front of your parents but also in front of this society (if possible).

I know you people are expecting a change. But do you think that you yourself are changing as per the changing scenario?? Do you really share your feelings openly with the straight friend you have got as you share it within your community, or is there some disparity between the two?

You expect us to behave NORAMLLY but are you yourself giving your 100% towards this normalization?

Think about it. Basically, what I

feel is that a lot more inputs are required from your side even after your identity is comfortably accepted by your straight friends/society. This side is going to take some more time, but I think you can do more than rallies, parades etc. Just recall what Harvey Milk had done. What I am trying to say is that some legal and official actions are the need of the hour.

IAS and IPS officers, successful entrepreneurs are highly regarded in our society.

They are the role models despite their personal traits (it's a fact!).Moreover, they play a vital role in policy making etc. I am not asking you to prepare for these services rigorously, but if you want something EXTRA from this side, you need to go into this society and then put your actions to some legal/official outputs. Just think, if you can have one Justice Shah in every High Court (not only in Delhi) then what the picture would be?

We are different in sexual desires only, rest all is same. So why behave so differently? Do you find it justified? I think we can bring about a change in our generation only if we fight together in this revolution and I think we will. What do you say?

30 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Leisure Personals

COMING OUT OF THE CLOSET -Bharathi Raghul

I just knew that they needed to know. I felt they had a right to. I felt it was wrong to hide a radical aspect of mine from them.

Above all, being a thirteen year old, the realization that I was gay had not dawned all that suddenly and I needed to share it with someone. Being in boarding school from the age of seven, I looked around for someone to confide in but I sensed that even at the tender age of thirteen, most of the young minds around me were poisoned with homophobia.

Telling a teacher was out of the question, for you can never gauge their reaction.

So, telling my parents seemed to be the only option I had.

After all these deliberations I convinced myself to let them know. Then came the question of “How?” I decided to write a nice long letter to them.

Being in a boarding school was in one way an advantage. I didn't have to

face them during the time it took for facts to sink in. I sat down in a corner of the class and wrote in an inland letter paper that I was having feelings towards people of my own sex. I apologized for the unnecessary worry I was adding to their busy lives. I also remember asking them to arrange appointments with a psychiatrist to help me become “normal”. Not that I believed in the least that homosexuality was a pathological behavior even at that young age, but I wanted to change myself ,if possible, at least for their sake. I also remember asking them not to open the topic with me when we met in person unless I did.

was not scared. A few days later a huge heavy envelope landed on me with their individual replies. It was full of all kinds of soothing words. My father went to the extent of exaggerating that there were a number of his college mates in his undergraduate days who were like “this” but later grew out of “it” and are now leading happy families. Probably it is true, but I still don't buy it. My mother had put in her share of words. Both of them asked me to pray and have faith in God (an advice they needn't have given because ever since I remember, I have been a very spiritual person).

I wish I had a transcript of that letter preserved for you all, but I think my parents have destroyed it and I don't remember the literary details of how I had broken the news in the letter. But all the same I wrote and posted that letter.

I wanted to preserve those two letters but owing to the fear of boarding school life, which has no regard for other people's privacy, I had to shred it finely three weeks later.

Although I waited in anticipation for their reply, I

Now that the initial phase was over, uneasiness over the next phase set in.

31 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Leisure Personals

The real challenge was facing my parents after this new revelation. I knew things weren't going to be the same and it wasn't. Two weeks after the exchange of letters came a parents' visiting weekend. Parents were allowed to take their children out on the evening of Saturday and return them to the hostel the next evening. That particular weekend was declared a long weekend and so parents could bring back their children on Monday evening.

What normally would've been a boon was now a bane.

The thought of facing them alone was sending chills down my spine, leave alone spending two nights and two days with them. For three days prior to the weekend, I was filled with a melancholic mood of dullness and an indefinable depression. The day came and the first meeting happened in the safe confines of my beloved school. It sure was awkward.

That night and the whole of next day very few words passed between us.

Although my parents were trying their best to keep things casual, the “uneasiness of knowing” was weighing down upon us and more heavily on me. We were staying in a two bedroom suite in a hotel. My mother and I were using one of the bedrooms and my father was in the other.

But

for

little

hushed

conversations when I seemed to be out of earshot, nothing about the matter was verbally brought up. Saturday night and the whole of Sunday, there was nothing much said or done. We went for walks and had meals in our room but nothing of significance happened. The weather seemed to be mirroring my emotions and deepening them by being extraordinarily chilly and windy, aggravating the melancholic strains my heart was pursuing. On Sunday night, while in bed, it happened.

My mother, unable to hold herself any longer, opened the topic gently and asked me if I was alright. I replied in the affirmative. Then she went on to explain that being doctors both of them had come across many similar cases as mine. She said that it was just a passing phase in my life and that I need not worry about it (and many more of such green lies) to soothe me. And throughout I listened. I listened without contributing to her monologue. I just listened to my mother talk!

Her verbal exertion was lifting the weights on both our souls and I listened very gratefully. Then true to her parental instinct, she asked me if any of the guys were troubling me and I told her that it was not the

case.

Finally, she ended the conversation with a hug.

The warmth of that hug, seven years ago, I still feel and cherish in my bosom.

The next day, although it passed in a much similar fashion with very less conversation, there was a faint air of ease about us after the conversation with my mother the previous night. As for my father, who is the most non-verbal person I know, I think he was only happy to not have to do the talk which my mother had done.

My parents think it is a passing phase and probably even think I have straightened out by now.

But that really is not my concern. It was my duty to inform and I did it.

Perhaps I was too young to fully grasp the magnitude of the action I had taken, or my deep seated desire to express and share the new found truths about myself which overcame the fear of “coming out”. Maybe the credit lies with my parents for building in me a confidence in them or it was the confidence I had in their academic disposition which, I was sure, would make them understand.

Whatever it was that gave me the confidence to come out, I came out and I'm happy that I did.

32 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Personals

PRIDE As dust settles over the whole Onir and Yuvraj controversy, Sukhdeep Singh recalls a similar incident from his life where his sexuality was being used for personal gain by someone

A

nything gay makes headlines these days, and if it has a whiff of scandal, it makes for sensational first page news!

That is what happened with O n i r, d i r e c t o r o f s u c h acclaimed movies as My Brother Nikhil, and I Am. There were no police reports filed, just mere accusations and a “hickey” to show, and Mumbai Mirror ran a first page cover story, tarnishing the image of the “five foot nothing” director and leaving him shattered. With Yuvraj Parashar finally withdrawing all allegations against Onir and tendering an unconditional apology, it has become clear that all of this was merely a cheap publicity stint on his part.

However, the whole incident has again highlighted how difficult it could be to live a dignified life in this country

for a gay man, with mere accusations being taken at face value, and someone's sexuality being an easy escape for others.

A few months back, I had to go through a similar traumatizing experience when my sexuality was being used as an excuse by someone to further his interest. Although nothing in scale like the incident that has happened with Onir, it did leave me deeply hurt and shocked to the point that even today, I either avoid such situations or make it a point to reveal my sexuality, even though my sexuality shouldn't matter at all.

Anyone working in the IT sector would appreciate how difficult and costly it is to find rooms in such cities as Bangalore or Gurgaon- the IT hubs. Fresh in my first job, I

was sharing the flat with five other friends, all from my college itself. Three of them are also associated with Gaylaxy, and the fourth one is also a good friend. The four of them had already taken a flat in Gurgaon, and asked me to join them. Still waiting for my joining dates to arrive, I had heartily agreed to share the flat with them. However, I had another “friend” Indra who had got placed in the same company and was from Kolkata itself and had asked me to stay together at Gurgaon. I asked them if he could also join. Since Indra had also studied in the same college and was known to them, they readily agreed, and I or Indra never had to go through the hassles of searching rooms or haggling prices with brokers and room owners. By the time we

33 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Personals arrived at Gurgaon, they had already settled down and as was obvious, the two of us were given a room to share.

After about a week, on a Sunday evening I found my four friends discussing something in a hush- hush voice. The discussion stopped as soon as I arrived. The look on their face was enough to tell me that something was amiss. On enquiring I got to know that Indra had asked to shift to a room that had been lying vacant in our flat. This of course was unacceptable, for it would have meant unnecessary shooting up of the electricity bills etc. I was surprised to know why all of a sudden after a week this “demand” was made by him, since from the very beginning, it was pretty clear to him that he would have to share the room with me. None of them would tell me the reason, yet I could sense it had to do something with me. On pressing further I got to know that he had said that he wouldn't share the room with me.

It was quite a shocker to me, since I was very much out in my college. All along he had known that he would be sharing the room with me, and I had never done anything “wrong”. Suddenly, I was made to feel like a molester or some criminal, all my pride shattered and bruised. I knew Indra was using my sexuality as an excuse, because there

Onir

was no other way he could get the single room. I proposed that one of them shift to my room, while I move to theirs.

With no further argument under his sleeve, Indra had to agree to this and the stalemate got over. However, I was left disturbed for the next few days, my mental agony aggrieving every time I looked at Indra.

Three months later me, Indra and a few office colleagues got posted to Bangalore and thus began the “house-hunting” drive again.

My office colleagues were asking me to share the flat with them. But deep inside, the fact that there could be a possibility of my sexuality becoming an issue again kept

me away. I instead looked for a single room, even though sharing the flat with them would have been economical.

My pride had been hurt once; I couldn't let that happen again.

The lowest a person can stoop to is using someone's sexuality for his own gains. It leaves a deep scar in the mind, and shatters you in many ways. That is what seems to have happened with Onir, I can only express my sympathies with him. This incident highlights the fact that this country needs laws to protect the rights of the community, for someone should not be able to escape easily by using a person's sexuality as an excuse for personal gains with just a “sorry”.

34 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Leisure - Rohan Noronha Hi All, Hello my lovelies!! It is that time of the year when we do away with the old and herald the new, forget all the sorrows of 2010 and usher in 2011 with more love, prosperity and abundance. So here is your divination in a nutshell for the months ahead, now don't you go knocking your head, when you know someone's rocking the bed (wink wink).

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 19 You played your cards well in 2010, but would you want to take the same risks in 2011? Think about your career for the first half, your finances shall be fine by October end. Stick on with your partner, and don't you look elsewhere, for the whirlwind of romance is what the two of you need to share. At home mom and dad would be quite happy, but you better take control of stock and emotions, before it all goes snappy.

Cancer June 21 - July 22 If you have wondered about why your life seemed so bleak;2011, especially May, would show you a new streak!! For the matters of the heart, with you, are too demanding, have you ever given it a thought that love is not your voice loud and sounding. A dash of pink and a red rose around will surely bring you more prosperity than you have ever found. A little bit of home keeping would do you good, be a good lover and learn to spread more than you could.

Leo July 23 - Aug 22

Taurus Apr 20 - May 20 Missing him a lot aren't you dear Taurus, but he is just about to fly over HORUS. You have lost what you took for granted in 2010, and the stars will not shine on the horizon till you see this phase end.

By April you shall find trouble at work; don't kiss behinds more and don't shirk the jerk. Be strong and pray for you shall also see the light, at the end of the day. If only you had accepted yourself better, life in all spheres would have been way above the gutter. All the best for 2011!!

If you thought in life you knew it all, 2011 will now break the fall. This time around, you have much on your chest, so learn to be professional and work will show you the best. Make time for those who really care, don't buy love, sex or lust, because those spells are passages to despair. Stop fooling yourself since you think you know it all, the world doesn't revolve around you and wouldn't rotate on you like a ball. Wait for March and October for a little more change, but don't be too proud of it or you will be shot by the heavens point blank range.

Gemini May 21 - June 20 Planning to adopt or be more humane, this is a task that won't make your efforts go down the drain. Love is in full bloom ever since you both met, get a little more naughty, the beds are ready to soak you wet. Don't worry about your finances, for they are in good shape, expect more money, when the Goddess gets her new drape. By October you may hear of an illness at home, don't go to far away roaming, your prayers are answered at ther nearest dome.

Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

Virgo Aug 23 - Sept 22 Often a threesome seems pretty interesting, but if you are planning it could be back bending. The spirits want you to be loyal for once or else face the heavens who are loaded with karmic guns. 2010 you played enough around, now work beckon and so does one partner you found. The third chance or the person you see, would be a destructive force till eternity, beware of the IDES OF MARCH!!

35 www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Leisure Tip: A red candle and a crystal or a glass bowl with 3 red roses filled with rose water will bring around love, prosperity and a lot of laughter.

Libra Sept 23 - Oct 22 Take charge Librans and be in control, 2011 is going to be yours to unfold. If you ever felt that this job was only for the pay, I say to thee clearly, walk out of it today. Don't worry about pursuing your creative dreams, the path to success is closer to destiny than it seems. Parents and brothers would support you through, but friends you thought were closer, I differ my beau.

Beware of March and April for the snakes to uncoil, while your so called FRIENDS would try to throw you in turmoil.

Scorpio Oct 23 - Nov 21

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 19 Money, money, money is foretold, you are the king or the queen with finances to behold. Enough have you spent your life in solitude and despair. Make sure you dress up pretty for he is waiting for you out there. Open your third eye this March and watch how the heavens speak, for good luck with a new job is on its way to make you reach the peak. Make sure you offer your prayers to the Goddess, and in your hearts be ready to let your love FOR YOU progress.

Aquarius Jan 20 - Feb 18

The battle has just begun for you to emerge, most probably you will finish up that task as a pending urge. In April and May you shall get a promotion, but that would mean 2011 is about work devotion. Try and maintain time as much as possible with family, a pet would need your help and would need you around before it's too early. Don't worry too much about mom's health this time, 2011 will make the crispy air and sun around her shine.

You played with many across the seasons, don't be too surprised for the enemies reasons. They would haunt your night and day, because this is thepriceyou pay. At home things would be on an uphill task, sorry my friend you will never in the sun at ease bask. If you thought work was not your daily gameplan, you sure should wake up and smell the goddam TAN!!

Sagittarius Nov 22 - Dec 21 For those of you archers who are single today, we see marriage and courtship brighten the way. Make sure you spend wisely for the heavens are happy, but you need to decide the next course and strategy.

You silently endured losses and pain, through 2011 only expect more gains. Keep family close in the loop, for you may need to help dad or brothers if they fall into soup. In May and August a sister may marry or bring you news of love she was deciding to announce with no hurry.

Pisces Feb 19 - March 20 Be fishy with your enemies but keep them close, the eye is on you and so is the dose. A woman at work would be your enemy, but three other close ones would strike down every penny. Please be careful on how you speak, because words not well chosen could tumble you off the peak. 2011 in May and June would see you rise to the top soon. But if you dedicate some time to play, your work pressure would ease night and day.

36 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure

(JUST ANOTHER L VE STORY) Dibyendu Paul reviews the highly acclaimed, Rituparno Ghosh starrer movie of Kaushik Ganguly

A

n 'extraordinary' at the same time 'unusual' film in the Indian intellectual perspective; especially the way it knots the sensible strings like cultural androgyny, gender, same–sex relationships, bi-sexuality and several other exceptional alternatives. People stamped it as a mere film on delicate alternative issues but from my perspective Aar Ekti Premer Golpo is neither a magnum opus in the mass of the stereotyped gay cinema nor does it approve 'just another love story'; in the truest sense of the phrase, it unfastens those stories, rather Galpos, yet unheard, yet untold.

Chapal Bhaduri, the first self-proclaimed Bengali gay veteran actor who was once celebrated for the depiction of female roles in Bengali folk (Jatra) theatre plays himself in the film. He resides in a ramshackle home in north Kolkata, torn with destitution.

Deserted by the family, ignored by the neighbours, mortified by society, he is still struggling with his life. This veteran actor

embarks on his secret love-life with his past male lovers. Aar Ekti Premer Galpo gyrates around the Delhi-based c o n t e m p o ra r y f i l m m a k e r Abhiroop Sen (Rituparno Ghosh himself) who is put incharge of making a documentary film on Chapal Bhaduri by a UK based producer Dorothy (Charlotte Haywards). But shooting of the film in Kolkata is put on hold because of the media attention to the film. Abhiroop comes across Uday (Jisshu Sengupta) coincidentally. Uday is a young wild-life photographer who proposes an alternate shoot location at his ancestral mansion in Hetampur, a small village in Birbhum district.

There is a film-withinthe-film and the total flow of the story reveals the intricacies of relationship of Abhiroop with his cinematographer Basu (Indraneil Sengupta), who is a contentedly connubial man.

Director Kaushik Ganguly impresses with the detailing of the fact of a bisexual man, who basically swings with the flow of the waves and loses the

shore to get hold onto the illusive “balancing act” between his wife and his boyfriend.

The unconventional ways of dress, wearing make-ups and so called effeminate behaviour of Roop point out the essential discrepancies between the individualistic way of leading life of a person of alternative sexuality and the dreadful seclusion along with the social humiliation that Chapal Bhaduri has undergone all through his life. The movie deals with a very old cultural tradition of men playing female roles on the traditional Bengali opera and Chapal Bhaduri (at the age of 71), the then queen of Bengali theater, is one among those androgynous men. He starts narrating his love life and the tragic consequences thereof in front of the camera. Abhiroop starts recognizing himself with Chapal's social rejection, sense of alienation and eternal loneliness. The relationship between Basudeb and Abhiroop is so full of stimulating factors that one

37 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure feels it can shatter at any time.

The emotional insecurity of Abhiroop with regard to Basu makes him call up his mother a number of times and weep inconsolably whenever he feels helpless. Even as he loves Basu, there is his wife Rani (Churni Ganguly) that is hovering in the background.

There are so many layers of the film and some of the facets are very hard to express in words. There are two parallel narratives that flow side-by-side. The most important story of the director making a documentary on the queen of yesteryears is intertwined along with the fictional interpretations of the colourful life of Chapal. Roop and Chapal are celebrating their androgyny in all possible ways. In one of the scenes, Roop is having a conversation with Uday about the location of shoot for the first time. The glance of Krisna Temple stimulates some significant conversation with Uday, where he explains about Chaitanya.

He explains that Chatanya was basically the epitome of cultural androgyny, Krishna and Radha combined in one corpus who stood against all kinds of discrimination and seeked liberation through music; and 500 years back all these things happened so organically that it is hard to believe today. This entire interpretation gives a totally different dimension to the whole film.

Roop once tells Basu, “Someone is paying a price for our relationship”- this extends to span the other relationships within the film too, in the past and also in the present. Basu (Indranil) comprises a larger part of the movie. The character of Basu is quite shallow in my perspective and confused as a person, just as bi-sexual men are. He is unable to hold the depth and finer details of Roop's personality.

Indranil Sengupta has marvelously represented Basu in all the visuals and reveals his credibility in terms of the demands of the character. As each flashback returned to the present, Abhiroop and Basu shared their moments of closeness, silence, conversation and the flashbacks perfectly resonated with the story of Chapal's life which was all in the mind of Abhiroop, who identifies the subject of the film with his life's episodes. The transitions of f r a m e s a n d t h e cinematography in these shots are simply brilliant and the representations of these visuals are quite interesting. It also mystifies and underscores the uncertainty of the relationship. The entire film travels into the flashback to young and gorgeous Chapal Bhaduri, sometimes dressed in bridal ceremonial clothes, sometimes wearing much ordinary Sarees.

In the flow of the story Chapal started living with Tushar, whom he met during

the journey to Tarapith. Uday doubles up as Tushar. The representation of Tushar in the film-within-the-film in a very short span is quite significant and the unconditional bonding of Chapal with Tushar gives the whole film a newer dimension all together. Even in the real front, the bonding between Uday and Abhiroop leaves several questions in our mind.

The bonding between Gopa (Rani) and Chapal (Abhiroop) is something that is difficult to comprehend, rather that is something beyond our conventional interpretation. In o n e m ov i n g s c e n e , t h e younger Chapal pulls the ailing and bedridden Gopa to an improptu dance, with “Pran Bhoriye Trisha Hariye” playing in the backdrop. The musical score of Dibyajyoti creates a brilliant spark that successfully fuses Chapal's past with Abhiroop's present.

Rituparno Ghosh is phenomenal in both the screen representations-the filmmaker and the younger Chapaloffering two utterly different facets, though integrated to each other within him. The film leaves several of the questions unanswered. Would Rani ask for the same if Abhiroop was a woman?

Doesn't Chapal deserve the company of Tushar and in the real front, Abhiroop and Uday respectively? Does Abhiroop too, suffer from the sense of social ostracism which Chapal does? There are no perfect answers possible to these questions as such.

38 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure

- Dibyendu Paul Continued from previous issue

Wade: Wade Robinson (Jensen Atwood) is the love interest of Noah and the total story flows around these two. In an interview Jenson, who is an avid supporter of his gay fans and friends, was asked if he has any problem in accepting gay roles and why is it so difficult for the folks to be transparent with their identity. His answer was, “We all have questions in our lives that we either don't answer or are afraid to answer. So until you can be honest with yourself, it's hard to be truly confident or secure.�

When Noah started falling on Wade, Wade used to consider himself as a straight guy, but eventually their so called friendship was developing spontaneously. Wade was rather too passionate about Noah. It was his first love and he was desperate to have Noah around him in all possible ways, which was something he was trying to do. But Noah had seen gay life from very close quarters, he had seen people fickle

around, the frequent break ups and typical gay promiscuity; he was not ready to invite all those in his life. He needed some time for the relationship to mature. But Wade was beyond all these calculations, he was deep in love. But fate had something else planned for them.

They get separated for some uncertain reasons, though at the end of the Season Noah finds Wade, when Wade was injured in an accident and the sequence continues to the Noah's Arc: Jumping The Broom with their wedding ceremony. Jensen not only impresses with his looks, but also with his acting skills.

Alex: If you are going to watch the series you will come to know how powerfully black gay characters are portrayed in each frame, which reflects black American gay lives on the big screen. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of the show or not, none can deny what Polk and his actors have done in the area of the visibility for black gay men. Alex,

39 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure portrayed by the hilarious Rodney Chester, gives the comic relief in all parts of the series with his self-appointed wedding plans. He is an AIDS counsellor having his own clinic, where he provides assistance to the people. Noah's Arc has a strong message towards AIDS awareness. Some short discussions of Alex regarding his clinic hold some significant message for the audience. His sweet nature is really enjoyable. Rodney Chester is a real comic delight throughout the two seasons and the movie, and provides his character the kind of larger-than-life image which translates amazingly onto the big screen.

on the surface, though the flow of the story reveals the ugly reality that their relationship is in trouble.

But things get resolved with the help of 19-year old Brandon (Gary Leroi Gray), a guest of Ricky and also latest addition to his long list of guys.

Baby Gat: Jason Steed as the character of Baby Gat who was terribly after Noah from Season 2 and even in the movie adaption, is full of weird and funny traits with his brainless hilarious activities and is a great comic relief. You would surely consider him completely annoying in most of the visuals. Interestingly, his reckless activities bring Noah's boss Brandy (Jennia Fredrique) to his wedding ceremony and her appearance adds some eventful moments to the film, which is really appreciable. As I said, Noah's Arc is full of events and a flow of dynamic storyline which you'll hardly find in any American Gay dramedy. Noah's Arc is a completely different league.

The most beautiful part of Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom is the wedding day and the day before it. When Noah calls Wade's mother in the middle of the night, totally drunk, and invites her in her son's wedding, she was taken aback. She didn't even know that her son was gay! And the next morning before their wedding starts, she reaches to Wade's ancestral home Martha's Vineyard to bless them. It was really enthralling. Wade didn't even know that Noah gave a call to her. Some of the visuals, including Alex missing his baby (adopted) whom he had to leave to his husband Trey Iverson (Gregory Kieth), added a different flavor to the movie.

Patrik-Ian Polk's groundbreaking black queer screen adaption brought a revolutionary wave as no other director had tried to portray the black gay community in this manner, which navigated through Los Angeles to LOGO television Network through the path of love and life. That is why Noah's Arc received huge applause from a big part of the Afro-American Gay community. Everyone loved each character dearly and so would you.

Ricky: Ricky (Christian Vincent) is a guy whom you will find with numerous new guys, back to back abrupt encounters in every sphere. The perfect queer promiscuity is inscribed into his character, though as a person he is pure from heart and Noah is one of his dearest friends.

B a s i c a l l y, R i c k y i s obsessed with the drastic insecure relationships and all these encounters are a way of keeping himself restrained from all the complexity of relationships. Noah's Arc: Jumping The Broom reveals a big facet of his mind, rather a secret comes out in the open. The day before Noah's wedding Ricky confesses that he was in love with Noah long back from the time their friendship developed. You can easily recognize his affection towards Noah in several parts of the story. At the same time, Christian Vincent's hot body will drive you crazy each time he appears on the frame.

Chance: Chance Counter (Doug Spearman) is a work obsessed Professor. He is somehow strict about his principles and quite serious as a person, though he shares several light moments with Noah, Ricky and Alex. A major part of the whole series deals with Chance's complicated relationship problems with his boyfriend Eddie McIntyre (Jonathan Julian).

They are now married for four long years and appear to be extremely happy with each other

40 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Literature Leisure

A work of fiction by Souvik Biswas

I

t was like an inscrolled parchment, traversing half a k i l o m e t e r, i n l o u d cacophonous silence overwhelming and petrifying the animate objects and those taxis, cars, buses and the stores in a perfectly muted numbness. All were being dimmed. Though a tremendous spell was at work, I stood mocking every attempt, every iron-plastic carriage that made a gesture of not knowing each other. I knew them well.

Right across Chowringhee, from Park Street to Lenin Sarani, and there I stood, before the huge edifice of the Indian Museum.

It was getting dark and despite the deliberate attempts to avert my approaches in that early evening atmosphere, I came

here everyday. As if to wait or to escape from the monotony of losing and being gnawed at every moment. The thought was self defeating, frustrating and though I crossed my fingers, somewhere deep inside I was convinced of its deceiving quality. I was there in that same greasy shirt and the shabby cotton pants that I wore before changing into something gaudy and flashy, as the need goes, for the night.

I looked quite a 'decent' teen, though the very word 'decent' was equivocating with my eyes, for thick patches of mascara that fused with the circles of uneventful nights, like indelible marks of society's castration. My lips had deep cracks, with stains of an acrid

feeling and marks of unkissed kisses and promises that ended up in the coldness of an ash tray or in the toilet.

Our Kolkata was changing, clicking like a time bomb that will explode any moment to expose the plastic vitality of Delhi or Bangalore. I fixed my eyes on the retreating birds and thought about the rainy season. Despite the repeated attempts of the rain god to purge the heat and the blinding dust of the road. I wondered whether to smile or to look grim at the thought of water trickling down my body, refreshing and rejuvenating; yet foiling every optimistic threat with a colossal sense of paralysis.

41 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Literature Leisure I looked out at a group of adolescents, laughing and jeering as they passed by the pavement. One of them looked intently and caught my eyes without a smirk in his vision. I closed my eyelids to withdraw and to refute any platonic approaches, and he looked away like the vapid odor of an extinguished candle that accentuates the darkness.

‘’

My lips had deep cracks, with stains of an acrid feeling and marks of unkissed kisses and promises that ended up in the coldness of That night was thick, when I an ash tray or in the toilet was there in my room, softly intimidated at the core reality of embracing someone without any introductions. Twice I called for Tia, my throat drying up every two seconds. I was afraid running my fingers by the hem of my first worn sari, I kept my eyes closed and could hear a faint Hindi song being played somewhere upstairs or downstairs, difficult to comprehend.

The door creaked open. There was a thin lanky, person a little more than my height. He looked s er e n e , c a l m a n d a b i t distressed, yet seemed as if my presence ushered in, a flush down his cheek, which composed him. He sat by the bed and fiddled with his sight. I was a bit stable by his distress, as if I was having a grip over by nervousness. I insisted on the lights being kept burning, as I was claustrophobic and it gets worsened in darkness.

I wondered what drove him here, was it only an inquisition or a control. I wanted to know him, to go out of this place to his house, with a mother, sister, father and a bedroom where I'll have my life, well I don't need a family, I need a compatible soul in a not so idealized

relationship.

I felt the vibrations of his overcharged and hypernervous mind that insisted him to run out of the closed room. I looked at him and smiled to confirm we are both at stakes of one another and he closed his eyes in his magnificent act of submission.

The oil greased air, of the nearby confectionary interspersed the reminiscences of my tranquility. It was 7:30p.m. I felt a heavy chill down my spine. I had about Rs 500 with me that would suffice my escapade. Raghu da from across the pavement waved at me, I produced a fake smile to meet the situation.

Tightening my grip on the railings, facing the traffic with closed eyes. How many days have I passed, yet this enveloping gloom of the dusk, and the nocturnal alacrity of the celestial bodies mocked and yet felicitated my intentions of breaking away and tearing that indispensability that made me furious.

Though years have rolled out its soaking remedy, enamoring everything under a thick garb of humiliation, a twisting manipulative deprivation that hooks inside the entrails and probes for a better expression.

Yet I countered with those flowery legends of that first night that empowered me. The vicious labyrinth, which claims to entrap me, was overturned and sorted in the dilapidated eyes of that individual, who gave me a vision to look beyond those flashy dashboards. Though the consistent buzz of 'I love you' irritated me down the ages for centuries, that single voice faded them all.

Anticipating and intending everyday I stand and look out in the abysmal rhapsody, waiting for that single apostrophe to finish my sentence beyond the full stop. To find and entrap another vision that I craved for and to trammel over...

42 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Literature Leisure

-Lawrin The lines had been drawn.

It was just the moment to be left abandoned.

The long stretch of the desert land Was going to be left alone for ever.

It was the same land that was green ever, All were there with fun and flavour.

Hardly anyone could imagine The fate of the land that was once lush green.

But that anything that rises has to fall as well.

The greenery was gone with the crowd.

Now even nobody cares For the land or its pride.

Left alone with its fate, the land must Now live or die.

It must do something to be history Or otherwise.

But wait, what has happened!

A rush of breeze just came from somewhere.

Brought with it a splash of the rain.

Seemed like life and just came from nowhere.

Thank you whoever it is For sending the rain.

To make the desert feel And bringing back to grain.

Friend needless to say.

Who was the desert and who was the rain.

Only the feelings are there With the desert and the rain!

43 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Literature

“A tale of love and lust between an upper class brahmin & an uneducated rural boy� by Victor Til Now: The mining engineer starts falling in love with Bagha, and the two develop a sexual relation too.

I

extracted my arm from his shoulders, held out to reach the switch, put the light off and dragged him into my bed. I hugged him, still kissing his lips and he responding by hugging the small of my back. We were lying face to face in the dark, on my insufficient bed.

A ray of the colony street light was coming in through the skylight and illuminated the room dreamily. I didn't venture further. I was in love and I wanted him. But my want had to match up to his sensibilities and inhibitions. I had to go slow.

Being tired after an eventful day, I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep with Bagha in my arms.

I woke up early the next day and found the warm naked torso of Bagha snuggled up to me on my 5'x 7' bed. A single ray of sunshine was peeping into the room through the glass and it fell on his dark peaceful face. I turned towards him and looked at his face for a really long time. It was the first time I was so close to him without being excited. I knew now that he was mine, and the feeling of his belonging to me filled me with an ethereal happiness I've not felt since I fell out of love six years back in my hometown Kolkata.

I softly moved my fingers on his sleeping face, the miniature pimples on his glistening forehead roughing the movement, lightly down along the bridge of the nose, and down over his slightly parted lips and then the strong square

chin. The light overnight stubble brushed against my finger. I leaned forward, and planted a light kiss on his forehead, and then on his eyes.

He woke up with a startle. It took him some time to recall the events of last night, and finally when the realization dawned, he leapt up from the bed, shying away from me. Poor kid, still not being able to come to terms with his submission to alternate sexual instincts. I did not call him, as he went out of the room. I just lay back.

I could hear the sounds of his morning chores.

After about an hour, he entered with a cup of coffee and biscuits like he did every day. I asked him to come to my room with his tea. He silently placed the tray on my bed and went out of the room. He was back in two minutes with his tea and moved to the other end of the room to drag the lone chair nearer to my bed. It was I who had told him earlier that he shouldn't sit on the floor when we were alone in the house.

We did not talk. I sipped my coffee and he drank from his cup of tea. A thousand different feelings boiled inside me. I felt like a teenager infatuated with his first crush. We looked into each others' eyes. He lowered his. I kept gazing - he must have felt my stare, because he looked up again and smiled.

We indulged in a normal banter thereafter and none was inclined to bring up any reference of the day (and night) passed.

44 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Literature coal dust mixed water from the level used to flow and accumulate was a repulsive thought. I remembered that many men peed in the drains whose ultimate destination was the sump. It was nauseating and I ran to the ventilation duct intake door and crossed the rubber flap into the vacant crossing where I knew there was a fresh water hose outlet for washing. I Generally, in the collieries, the monsoon was a wanted to wash myself then and there. The troublesome period, with regular waterslurry had entered inside my shirt and my logging of incline mouths, pit head sumps, and jeans as well. I could feel the discomfort the occasional flooding of the pump-houses between my legs and my balls. I had to wash and ventilator fans. Open cast mines were myself immediately. I lifted the flap and looked more susceptible to lose precious production outside. 3 men were waiting at a distance for man hours due to heavy and incessant rains. me to come out, among them I could spot So it was from October end, Bagha. I called him with when monsoon was over, gestures. He approached I felt like a teenager that the production months me.

I waved off the other infatuated with his first started. Till March of the crush. We looked into each men indicating that they next year we were given should pack their tools and others' eyes. He lowered impossible targets to meet go back. The other staff was his. I kept gazing and everyone from the Chief working in the distance.

General Manager of the area When Bagha came near, I to Shift Engineers like me was kept on called him inside and lifted the flap to let him tenterhooks. in.

Though it would be a lie to say I was not thinking of another oil massage, I did not display any interest nor did he come near me with any such hint for the whole morning. We got ready, had lunch and went out for our sojourn down inside the earth.

There was some problem in the cutting chain of the main coal shearer and I had to supervise the whole operation of restoring the links as the maintenance engineer was on leave. Being young and impatient, I got down to the job myself without waiting for the gang to arrive from Pit top office, with my own staff and after two hrs of stoppage, the machine was whirring again. Somebody started the submersible pump just beside the coal shearer gearbox to take out the water accumulated in the sump during the idle hours. There was a leakage in the delivery and I ran to the site to cover the gearbox with a piece of conveyor belt to save the motor from the spraying sump water.

Within seconds I was covered with dirty black slurry from the sump. Two of my shift hands came running and helped me in plugging the leak as well as pulling the rubber piece over the motor and fixing it in place. Being covered in coal dust was a daily affair, but having slurry all over you, that too from a sump where all the

I said, “Main ekdum ganda ho gaya…mere pant ke andar bhi slurry ghus gaya”. He nodded and said, “Haan sir, maine dekha”. While opening my soiled shirt, I shouted over the whirring of the shearer and whizzing of the ventilation wind flow, “Main nahaa loonga, abhi, yahaan, aur tereko kapda pakarna hoga kyun ki taangne ki jagah nahi hai”.

I took off the helmet with the cap lamp and then the battery and kept it on a raised place. I held the shirt under the running hose and slowly washed away the slurry from the fabric with my hands. Bagha came up to help but I continued till I was satisfied. I handed him the shirt and pointed the hose towards me. The power of the water flow washed away all the coal on my body, but I had to lift my arms to clear the underarms. Bagha wrung my shirt, put it on his shoulder, and came forward to hold the hose for me. I pointed the hose down, and the slurry on my jeans got washed out. But I

45 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

www.gaylaxymag.com

Leisure Literature could still feel my insides heavy with wet coal particles. I had to wash myself. I pulled out the belt, unbuttoned the jeans and then opened the zipper. I had trouble pulling down the soaked jeans heavy with water. I took off my wet safety gumboots one by one and pulled off my jeans. The white underwear I was in had become unrecognizable. I handed over the jeans to Bagha and asked him to stand at the flap holding my clothes. There I was, in my underwear, in a dimly lit ventilation crossing, the flap doors down, no one watching me but Bagha.

problem in front of this stud and I started to grow under my own touch. I looked for any evidence of a bulge in the crotch of his jeans, but his vest was hanging out and it was not discernible in that light and from that distance.

After I was done to my satisfaction, with my manhood in an embarrassing state, I shut the hose valve and gestured him to come near me to hand me the clothes. He moved forward gingerly, and came close to me. I said, “Jangia dena pehle.” Handing me my wet briefs which he had expertly wrung while I was spraying water on my nude self, he stepped back a little.

I grinned, “Sharma raha hai kya…kabhi aadmi dekha nahi hai?”

Should I take off my brief too? That would help me clean myself fully. I had to be fast, as I extricated myself I was washing myself from the last piece of fabric under the hose shackles and stood there shower, unashamed, naked, for the first time in fully aware of the front of the tribal boy with the effect it might be hose in my hand and water having on Bagha spraying all over my body. standing within six

He smiled back ever so gently, “Nahi dekha to hai, lekin aise nahi”. I knew what he was hinting at and didn't force it out of him. He subsequently handed me the jeans and then I stepped out of the puddle and feet I was and still am very took the shirt from him. While uninhibited about my nakedness and was putting it on, I caught him staring intently at famous in college for streaking. Having had a me. I grinned. In the semi-darkness I could good toned body and being well endowed I had see his white line shine back. nothing to be ashamed of and so was used to showing off my assets at every given Out of the closed space we were on our opportunity, picking up hints from agreeable respective beats once again, and were back in people in the process. Naturally, I was washing the bungalow by 10:15. On the way back, myself under the hose shower, unashamed, Bagha embraced me again for a moment from fully aware of the effect it might be having on behind and that made me fly again. I was Bagha standing within six feet, more so as I ravenous, in more ways than one. Both of us was rubbing my genitals and crevice at the washed quickly and finished whatever Bagha backside to remove all irritating grains of coal had heated up for dinner. dirt. The only issue was of someone straying into the ventilation crossing but that was quite I was not able to wait. I had shed all inhibitions unlikely given the time of the shift. I had and was moving around in my Bermudas with already washed my undies and handed them to a visible erection. I called Bagha to my room my live hanger. and seated him next to me. He was quiet, and fidgeting. I guessed I had to be proactive Though the light was very insufficient, I could again. I turned his face towards mine and clearly see him standing motionless, with my without giving him a chance, kissed him. clothes on his shoulder and his forearms, Facing no resistance, I put both my arms staring at me with an expressionless face. around his neck and started sucking on his Handling my nakedness was becoming a upper lip.

46 Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

To be continued...

www.gaylaxymag.com

NGO Leisure

WEST BENGAL THE PRATYAY GENDER TRUST Contact person : Anindya Hajra Address : 293 Jodhpur Park , Calcutta, Pin 700 068 Phone : 033 2464 1893 E-mail : pratyaygendertrust@yahoo.co.in Target populations : Hijras, MSM (particularly kotis)

DURBAR MAHILA SAMANWAYA COMMITTEE Contact person : Mrinal Kanti Dutta Address : 12/5 Nilmoni Mitra Street, Kolkata West Bengal, India Phone : 033 2543 7451 / 7560, +91-33 2530 3148 Email: dmsc@durbar.org Website: http://www.durbar.org/ Target populations : Female, Male and Transgender sex workers SAATHII CALCUTTA Contact person : Pawan Dhall, Chief Coordinator Address : 229 Kalitala Main Road, Purbanchal (N), Kolkata Pin 700 064 Phone : 033 2334 7329 E-mail : saathii@yahoo.com / pawan30@yahoo.com Website : www.saathii.org Target populations : MSM in general, male sex workers, transgender people, bisexual

Sappho Contact person : Malavika Address : 11A Jogendra Gardens(South),Ground Floor, Kolkata, Pin 700 078 Phone : 033 2441 9995

™

Email: malvi99@hotmail.com , sappho1999@rediffmail.com Website: http://sapphokolkata.org/ Target Population : Lesbians and bisexual women

Prantik Bongaon Contact person : Niloy Basu Address : C/o Niloy Basu, Peada Para, P.O. Bongaon, Pin 743 235 Phone : 91 3251 257 029, 9332254855 E-mail : ajnil@rediffmail.com / ajnil123@rediffmail.com Target populations : Hijras, Kothis, MSM in general

Northern Black Rose Contact person : Souvik Ghosal Address : C/o Hori Roy, M. B. Mukherjee Nursing Home, Hill Cart Road, Rajani Bagan, Khudiram Palli, Silliguri 734 401 Phone : 91-9433009116 E-mail: northenblack_rose@yahoo.co.in Target populations : Hijras, Meitis, other sexual minorities,

Astitva Dakshin

SWIKRITI Contact person : Rajarshi Chakraborty, Secretary Address : 42/57 DumDum Road, Kolkata 700074 Phone : +91 9831743608, 9433009190 E-mail: swikriti2003@hotmail.com Target populations : Bisexual women, lesbians, MSM in general, transgender people

PEOPLE LIKE US (PLUS) Contact person : Agniva Lahiri Address : 254, Bonomali Bannerjee Road, Kolkata 700082, West Bengal, India Phone : 033 2402 9305 E-mail : pluskolkata@gmail.com Target populations : Support group for young gender variants

SWAPNIL Contact person : SUMAN RUDRA Address : Kotalhat DistBurdwan, P.O. Burdwan, Pin 751015, West Bengal

Contact person : Debasish Mitra Address : C/o Bablu Bajikar, Baruipur Ukilpara, Kolkata 700144 Phone : 919836185589, 9830837440 E-mail : astitvadakshin@yahoo.co.in Target populations : Hijras, Kothis

Phone : 09932241372 E-mail : swapnil_burdwan@yahoo.co.in Target populations : MSM & TG Groups

Madhya Banglar Sangram

Contact person : Sk. Jalaluddin Address : Santi Seva, C/o Fellowship, Tarini Bhawan, Baliorada, P.O. / Dist. Bhadrak, Orissa, Pin 756 100, India

Contact person : Arunava Nath Address : Kazi Ali Aftab Vill.

Goaljan, P.O. Radharghat, P.S. Berhampore Phone: 91 9932760967, 9232694700 E-mail: sangram_06@hotmail.com

Orissa Santi Seva

Phone : 93487 87724 E-mail : santiseva@yahoo.com Target populations : Hijra, Maichiya and other male-tofemale transgender people

Send us your feedbacks, suggestions, articles and coming out experiences to:

Gaylaxy|Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Feb 2011

editor@gaylaxymag.com

™ www.gaylaxymag.com