Gay pride’s space of no prejudice

KARACHI – Two young men donning blue caps entered the Artillery Maidan Park near the Sindh Governor House on Sunday, some two hours before their friends arrived. As on a typical Sunday afternoon, young men were busy playing cricket, older citizens were playing cards, and some were jogging to loose weight. No one noticed them.
Slowly but surely, after the two men informed their friends over cell phones that security was adequate, other blue cap-donning men started arriving at the park. Not that anyone would know, or care to know, the group of blue cap-donning men were homosexual. The Sunday get-together was a congregation of three groups of homosexuals.
The meeting was organised in great secrecy and trust, but had assembled in absolute discreet. The first two had come to check security arrangements, but were continuously in contact with their friends. The go-ahead was only given after the first two had ensured they would be safe. No one at the park but homosexuals could recognise this get-together; only those who knew the “code” could find each other.
Around three dozen men of different age groups, ethnicity and economic backgrounds had turned up for a gathering that continued for one-and-a-half hours. After salutations, introductions and handshakes, the men divided into small groups and scattered into different parts of the park. Almost every participant had brought along Biryani, and amid the hustle and bustle at the ground, it seemed a regular get-together of friends.
In fact, the get-together was for members of one group to meet with those from other groups, make more friends, even select partners, and exchange contact information. The secrecy is understandable: homosexuality in Pakistan is considered taboo, with legal, religious and social norms refusing to entertain or accept their existence. In truth, homosexuality is an entrenched cultural truth of Pakistan and exists almost everywhere.
Homosexuals in both rural areas and cosmopolitan centres find it difficult to come out or even mingle in exclusive gatherings, but at least in urban centres, there are spaces where homosexuals can find some shelter from societal prejudice and dichotomy. “I don’t know why you get surprised at such meetings, this is not the first time we have met and will not be the last. We often arrange such get-togethers,” one of the organisers, Kami, told a group of journalists after the party.
Sitting alongside Kami was his co-organiser, Shahzad. Both men were not reluctant to talk about their groups, but photography had strictly been prohibited. Kami is a man in his late twenties, a resident of Lyari and currently employed as a computer operator in a private firm. He discovered his sexual preferences in his early teens, and ever since, has been forced to life a life of secrecy – at least in the public domain.
Thirty-three-year-old Shahzad, a resident of North Nazimabad and the owner of a mobile shop, has been living the same way for much longer. “There is a certain fee that we charge from participants before inviting them, so that they may come and meet with others who are like them. There are thousands like us in Karachi,” Kami said, explaining that several smaller gay groups or social gay clubs operate in different parts of the city.
These clubs sometimes coordinate with each other and arrange private parties at public places, so that their members get a chance to meet new buddies. “There are also ‘burger’ gay clubs in the posh areas of the city; they often arrange parties in private homes, farm houses or bungalows, where they meet, dance, and even drink in the company of their mates. We organise our parties at public places because we are unable to afford private places, and this private party was just an opportunity for members of different groups to come and select new partners,” Shahzad explained.
When asked whether homosexuality is increasing in Pakistani society, Kami interrupted and said, “It is not increasing now, it is old. We have groups, we name our groups and in some areas, we also turn to wall chalking to get more members. All this goes on as an open secret, but anyone who is not gay, will not find these activities.” Kami explained that members of gay groups are from all areas, social backgrounds and ethnicities – some even in major public and private institutions at mighty and influential posts.
“Our groups are the most democratic groups, where people from different political affiliations, cultural and social backgrounds, religious beliefs and ethnicities are welcome. There is only a one-point agenda: homosexuality. If I started telling you about a few big names that are homosexual, and I know them personally, you will be shocked,” he said.
Yet the taboo associated with homosexuality is overbearing: Shahzad argued that one can find thousands of CDs, DVDs and cassettes of famous singers who have sung songs for the gay community, but for some reason, society is unwilling to notice these things. Kami argued that many homosexuals had gotten married to a woman because of family pressure, or even to maintain their social status.
“Some homosexuals will justify that they are gay just because of social norms, in which a male and female are not allowed to date. But believe me, that is wrong: even if the government makes some legislation to allow couples to hangout freely, gay people will not quit homosexuality,” the organiser said.