Psychiatrists call for decriminalisation of homosexuality
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COMMENTS 
Calling homosexuality normal, three psychiatrists have asked the government to abolish Section 377, the law that makes homosexuality a criminal activity
In a letter to The Hindustan Times, three eminent psychiatrists called on the Indian government to do away with Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that treats same-sex activity as criminal.
Calling homosexuality “a normal variation of human behaviour,” the psychiatrists said it was time to abolish “archaic colonial laws” and decriminalise homosexuality in a country that saw itself as an emerging global power.
“Speaking as representatives of the mental health profession, we assert that there is no evidence that homosexuality is a mental illness, now supported by a large body of research. But, as a result of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code still being law, there is government sanction of such discrimination. A group of citizens are being unjustifiably denied essential freedoms, and are often physically abused and blackmailed by the police and other malicious individuals,” says the letter signed by Dr E Mohandas, president-elect, Indian Psychiatric Society, Dr Nada Stotland, president, American Psychiatric Association, and Professor Dinesh Bhugra, president, Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Activist Ashok Row Kavi has called for a campaign to abolish Section 377, during the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. People should write to all aspiring Lok Sabha candidates in their constituencies asking them to work towards revoking and reforming the law, he said.
Source: AIDS-INDIA eFORUM, March 2009