Significant events related to homosexuals in 2011

In 2011, burnt bridges were repaired. International relations were severed, others strengthened. Blasts from the past implanted themselves in the present.

Okay, I seriously need to stop talking about my sex life.
Here are the other events of importance, this queer year.

Indian television finally got its first major gay storyline. Maryada — Lekin Kab Tak? began as a story of four women in a family in Haryana. The narrative gambit turns out that the son is married, but also in love with another man.

Stateside, Glee continued on its campaign for gayest show in television history: it now features six same-sex lovin’ characters in its small-town high school universe. Simultaneously, Happy Endings gave viewers the freshest portrayal of a gay man in pop culture. Max is a slob’s slob, the ultimate slacker, who’s incidentally a “dude who’s into dudes.”

2011 also gave us the much needed gay version of Before Sunset. Peeking into a few days in the lives of two strangers who meet at a bar and find more than they bargained for, Weekend got major critical acclaim for its quietly revelatory take on modern sexuality. Bollywood didn’t give us another Dunno Y? this year (thankfully), but we did get Onir’s I Am, whose gay storylines touched on the subjects of sexual abuse and blackmail. Slightly more celebratory was Sonali Gulati’s documentary of the same name.

Pune jumped onto the Pride march bandwagon this year. Additionally, with the queer film festivals in Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai, homosexuality became more visible.

Unfortunately, so did homophobia.

TV9 Hyderabad kicked off the year with a shockingly homophobic telecast. Featuring a sting operation on unsuspecting gay men, it included a running commentary on the evils of the gay community.

Following protests across the country, a News Broadcasting Standards Authority order provided official censure to the channel.
“If there is one tenet that can be said to be an underlying theme of the Indian constitution, it is inclusiveness.” These words, from the Delhi High Court’s Naz Foundation judgment, were quoted by Hillary Clinton at a UN Human Rights Council meeting that rounded out the year. Speaking of the judgment, the Supreme Court will be hearing final arguments on the matter in February of next year.

But, back to me.
I got my first lesbian marriage invite this year. No, the Indian government doesn’t recognise this union. But just two years ago, it didn’t recognise them as legal citizens either. We might be holding our breath over the SC decision, but we’re also engaging in conversations about marriage, adoption rights, non-discrimination. And whatever happens, we’ll have more gloriously stereotype-filled cinema, and more hilarious religious denunciation. But we’ll also have more prides, more Brokebacks, and most importantly — more token non-state-recognised ceremonies.

Let no one say we don’t throw good parties.