MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM) & ARAVANIS in INDIA Dr. Venkatesan Chakrapani, MD FLD Fellowship grantee of the MacArthur Foundation

MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM)

Terminology Used Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) Denotes all those men who have sex with other men regardless of their sexual identity.

MSM in India – Identities/labels/behaviors MSM who don’t have any specific identity Kothi-identified homosexual males (Kothi = “feminine and mostly receptive”) The masculine partners of kothis who are called ‘Panthis’ (Panthi = “real men who only penetrate”). Double-decker (“who penetrate and receive”)

MSM in India – Identities/labels/behaviors (Contd.) Gay-identified homosexual men Bisexual identified men with same-sex/bisexual behavior Note: “Panthi” and “DD” are labels and usually not ‘identities’ Identities may not correlate with the presumed sexual behavior.

ARAVANIS/ ALIS/HIJRAS

Aravanis/Alis/Hijras Born as biological/anatomical males who reject their 'masculine' identity in due course of time to identify either as women, or not-men, or in-between man and woman, or neither man nor woman. Aravani – recently coined ‘political term’ ‘Ali’ – considered derogatory Most Aravanis identify as ‘kothi’

ACKWA & NIRVAN KOTHIS (ARAVANIS) Nirvan Kothi: Those who had undergone "Nirvana" ('Salvation' - as castration is known) i.e., removal of both testes and penis (voluntarily/willingly) and who are in woman’s attire. Aquwa/Ackwa Kothi: Those who wear women’s or men's attire, but who have not yet undergone castration but may or may not want to undergo castration in the future.

TERMINOLOGIES & CONCEPTS

Biological sex – physical and genetic sexual make-up Sexual orientation – sexual attraction to members of a particular sex Gender identity – psychological sense of being male or female Gender expression and Social sex role – adherence to the cultural expectations for feminine or masculine behavior

SEXUAL ORIENTATION One’s erotic, romantic, and affectional attraction to people of the same sex, to the opposite sex, or to both sexes. Heterosexuality:Erotic,romantic, and affectional attraction to people of the opposite sex. Bisexuality: Erotic, romantic, and affectional attraction to people of both sexes. Homosexuality: Erotic, romantic, and affectional attraction to people of the same sex.

GENDER IDENTITY Whether a person identifies as man, woman or other. (This is distinct from sexual orientation)

Traditional Binary Gender Model Biological Sex: Male Female Hormones, genitalia secondary sex characteristics Gender Expression Masculine Feminine Dress, posture, roles, identity Sexual Orientation Attracted Attracted to Women to Men Courtesy: Sam Lurie (www.tgtrain.org)

Revolutionary Gender Model Biological Sex: Male Intersexed Female Hormones, genitalia secondary sex characteristics Gender Expression Masculine Androgynous Feminine Dress, posture, roles, identity Sexual Orientation Attracted to: women men both neither other Courtesy: Sam Lurie (www.tgtrain.org)

Revolutionary Gender Model Many configurations are possible Biological Sex: Male Intersexed Female Hormones, genitalia secondary sex characteristics Gender Expression Masculine Androgynous Feminine Dress, posture, roles, identity Sexual Orientation Attracted to: women men both neither other Courtesy: Sam Lurie (www.tgtrain.org)

SEXUAL IDENTITY Identity: How one thinks of oneself, as opposed to what others observe or think about one. Sexual Identity: An inner sense of oneself as a sexual being, including how one identifies in terms of gender identity and sexual orientation.

GAY One who has significant (to oneself) sexual or romantic attractions primarily to members of the same gender or sex, or who identifies as a member of the gay community. (Is “gay” and “homosexual”synonymous?)

LESBIAN A girl or woman who has significant (to oneself) sexual or romantic attractions primarily to members of the same gender or sex, or who identifies as a member of the lesbian community.

BISEXUAL Bisexual is someone who has romantic and/or sexual relations with other people of more than one sex A bisexual may be more attracted to one sex than the other, attracted equally to both, or find people's sex unimportant. The strength of their attractions to men and women may vary over time.

TRANSSEXUAL Individual whose gender identity is that of the opposite gender Male-to-female transsexuals Female-to-male transsexuals

KINSEY SCALE

HETEROSEXISM other sexualities are abnormal and immoral. The assumption that only heterosexuality is normal and other sexualities are abnormal and immoral.

HOMOPHOBIA Homophobia is the irrational hatred and fear of lesbian and gay people that is produced by institutionalized biases in a society or culture.

People tend to hate or fear what they don't understand WHY HOMOPHOBIA? People tend to hate or fear what they don't understand

SEXUAL ORIENTATION COUNSELING Make the person to be comfortable with his/her homosexuality or bisexuality Assist in coping up with pressures – from families, friends, etc. Look at individual’s attitude toward own homosexuality. Assist in improving his/her self-worthiness - importance of valuing oneself.