Straight outta India: Author's response

Editor—I want to comment on the responses on studentbmj.com to my article “Straight outta India.”1 2

The primary intent of my article was to emphasise the homophobic nature of the Indian medical community, and not the public at large, although a perspective on the latter does justice to recapitulate the former. Hence, viewing sexuality in India from a larger viewpoint helps to understand the social and medical paradigm within which homosexuality in India falls. When the worldwide medical community is of the view that homosexuality is not a mental deviation, in India, aversion therapy is still widely practised by doctors, advocated as a “cure” for homosexual people. Clearly, this is misplaced medical knowledge.

Radhika Jadavji and Vikas Dhikav's sentiments are well expressed, but not concordant with the context of the article. I have not suggested that preaching to doctors about homosexuality could be a remedy. I have emphasised the need for proper medical knowledge about sexuality at large in medical schools, as doctors are responsible for their patients' health. Surely, no one can deny the impact of misplaced medical knowledge manifested as tagging homosexual people as “patients.”

I completely agree with the responders that a change of attitude in society is absolutely necessary for prevention of discrimination against sexual minorities. But viewing them as deviants and forcing medical treatment upon them is unacceptable. Therefore, I refute any suggestion that sex education in medical schools is any less important, or that discussions about the nature of homosexuality can be evaded at a time when students clearly need to learn about the truth, and prevent them from going around believing that only gay men get AIDS.

1. Balaji R. Straight outta India. studentBMJ 2005;13:259. (June.)
2. Electronic responses. Straight outta India. studentBMJ 2005. www.studentbmj.com/issues/05/06/life/259.php (accessed 18 Aug 2005).