Channel 4 to present a confident Hindu gay voice
Stephen Howard | 02.08.2010 14:13 | Culture | Gender | Social Struggles
It is a good balance to be able to hear a gay Hindu voice on National Television, with a supportive message from a mother about son's openly gay identity.
Religion & Sexuality - Gay and Hindu going together:
Channel 4 is presenting a brief documentary on the topic of being Gay and Hindu. It is a short film providing personal perspective of practising Hindu Subodh Rathod on Wednesday 4 August at 7.55 PM. Subodh lives with his partner of over 15 years Niranjan Kamatkar, and his mum, and explains why he feels that his religion is compatible with his homosexuality.
It is a good balance to be able to hear a gay Hindu voice on National Television, with a supportive message from Subodh’s mother about his openly gay identity.
Subodh mentioned, “When I was approached to participate, I had no idea about who else is taking take part in this film series. But I was touched by the fact that my mum was willing to say a few words on my sexuality for broadcast, post my father’s recent death - who was also very supportive of my open gay identity.”
Subodh feels that a positive message can offer younger gay Hindu people much-needed hope to embrace their own diverse identities and can give support to others who are looking for answers to their own lives. He added, ” invisibility of Gay Hindus is alarming in the UK and we need to hear more confident and diverse LGBT voices from all walks of live.”
Subodh’s partner and GFEST artistic director Niranjan Kamatkar said, ” A year ago we met a young Hindu gay man from Leicester came to discuss his coming out issues. After meeting him, both Subodh and I were very concerned that some young gay people still face exactly same fears and stigma that we faced 25 or 30 years ago. As if nothing has changed in all these years.”
Both Subodh and Niranjan felt that taking part in this film was an extension of their work at arts Charity Wise Thoughts which delivers London’s cross-art fest GFEST – Gaywise FESTival and services to help address social justice issues and needs of LGBT and BAME communities via art and cultural initiatives.
GFEST online networks:
http://www.wisethoughts.org http://www.gaywisefestival.org.uk
http://www.facebook.com/niranjan.kamatkar http://www.gaywisefestival.blogspot.com http://twitter.com/GFEST http://www.myspace.com/gaywisefestival http://gaywisefestival.wordpress.com http://www.yoursemotionally.com http://www.myspace.com/interviewwithapolitician http://www.flickr.com/photos/GFEST http://www.youtube.com/user/wisethoughts
Channel 4 is presenting a brief documentary on the topic of being Gay and Hindu. It is a short film providing personal perspective of practising Hindu Subodh Rathod on Wednesday 4 August at 7.55 PM. Subodh lives with his partner of over 15 years Niranjan Kamatkar, and his mum, and explains why he feels that his religion is compatible with his homosexuality.
It is a good balance to be able to hear a gay Hindu voice on National Television, with a supportive message from Subodh’s mother about his openly gay identity.
Subodh mentioned, “When I was approached to participate, I had no idea about who else is taking take part in this film series. But I was touched by the fact that my mum was willing to say a few words on my sexuality for broadcast, post my father’s recent death - who was also very supportive of my open gay identity.”
Subodh feels that a positive message can offer younger gay Hindu people much-needed hope to embrace their own diverse identities and can give support to others who are looking for answers to their own lives. He added, ” invisibility of Gay Hindus is alarming in the UK and we need to hear more confident and diverse LGBT voices from all walks of live.”
Subodh’s partner and GFEST artistic director Niranjan Kamatkar said, ” A year ago we met a young Hindu gay man from Leicester came to discuss his coming out issues. After meeting him, both Subodh and I were very concerned that some young gay people still face exactly same fears and stigma that we faced 25 or 30 years ago. As if nothing has changed in all these years.”
Both Subodh and Niranjan felt that taking part in this film was an extension of their work at arts Charity Wise Thoughts which delivers London’s cross-art fest GFEST – Gaywise FESTival and services to help address social justice issues and needs of LGBT and BAME communities via art and cultural initiatives.
GFEST online networks:
http://www.wisethoughts.org http://www.gaywisefestival.org.uk http://www.facebook.com/niranjan.kamatkar http://www.gaywisefestival.blogspot.com http://twitter.com/GFEST http://www.myspace.com/gaywisefestival http://gaywisefestival.wordpress.com http://www.yoursemotionally.com http://www.myspace.com/interviewwithapolitician http://www.flickr.com/photos/GFEST http://www.youtube.com/user/wisethoughts
Stephen Howard
