Back in Nepal, one day I was walking near Ratna Park. After
Maoist terrorist came in power, they change the name of the park to Nepal park
or something, I can’t think of now. It was in the busiest part of the city. It
was a place for people to sell cigarettes, peanuts, pani-puri, chat-pate. Few
fortune tellers, the psychics would always be there, though, they didn’t know
their own fortune, they were sitting in rags, didn’t even have decent chair to
sit on. Few Indian magicians were showing magic. So I was just there to escape
my college nearby, where demonstration was going on, and police and students were
throwing rocks at each other.
The magician as was performing, a circle of people had
formed. It was so crowded that people were pushing each other just to get a
peek at him, as the magician was cutting a live human body, taking out his
pumping heart in his hand and putting it back successfully. I saw it with my
own eyes, there was no curtain to hide, no side to cover, no helper except the
slain boy himself to help him. It was simply magic. Long story short… As I was
trying to push myself in front of the crowd, people were distracted by a fight,
a beating, I rather say, close by. Turned out that- a muscular man was beating
the blood out of one poor skinny man.
“You gay,” he yelled “if you wanted something, you could
have asked me something taking me to side….he puts his hand in my pocket, not
to pick pocket but to touch my …”
Then few men joined to beat him more. The poor guy was
bleeding, trying to convince everyone, pleading, asking for mercy—he didn’t do
it, he was pushed, his hands slipped and touched the other guy’s private parts.
But nobody listened; they beat him till he was not able to stand up. He stopped
denying. He was just wiping blood out of his face when finally a cop showed up
with a baton, remember then? Constable used to carry just a silly baton. When
the constable heard the story, he said- “You stupid gay! Homo! I know you; you
did not find anyone at night that you start attacking people at daylight…don’t
beat him no more... he will die…you dog! Homo! Pervert…”
The policeman grabbed the guy by his shirt collar and
dragged him away.
Till that time I had no clue what homosexuality was. Not
many people knew in Nepal. The homosexuals were in hiding, would only come out
at night, at dark and police usually chased them, sometime were killed in cold
blood. When I saw that, my heart wept for him, I wanted to help the poor guy,
but there were so many people jumping on him, I could not physically or in any
other ways, could have defended him. There was so much hatred in people about
homosexuality. The whole incident, I know for sure, happened in an act of
venting anger and hate; and nothing serious had happened. I felt very helpless
that day, had a very strange feeling. Why would God make such people, and if he
did, why would he call pronounce them sinners? How is a homosexual responsible
for being such, if he is responsible? Has he no senses? Does he not feel pain
when surrounded by people and getting beat? How is he a lower lever citizen, a
sinner, a pervert, an abnormal in the crowd of consensus straight people? Why
does he deserve to be hated, beaten, can’t have a decent life, can’t have
family? Not only that, damned to the hell? For eternity? For being born? I was
helpless just like the protagonist in movie “The Girl Next Door,” I wanted to
help but I was helpless myself. I remained silent and watched the act, rather curiously.
Lot of things has happened since then. Now the homosexuals
can freely walk and talk. They have a homosexual representative in Nepal’s
House of Representatives. The world’s view has significantly changed about
homosexual since 2003 when this happened. Still people are condemned for being
a homosexual. People are blinded by faith, religions, dogmas, stupid
traditions, their sense of justice, their convinced thought of they are
superior to other kind of people, may it be of religion, country, race, tribe,
belief system, or a mere orientation on sexuality. Even US is now overwhelmed
with a speech from a politician. They elected a foreign born, black, Muslim,
communist, gay president. They feel betrayed now. I read on somebody’s Facebook
yesterday-Don’t take peoples word when they are in love, or drunk or running
for office. How true. He has no religion, no moral, no political philosophy, no
standard of his own, and so is true about any politicians. Their whole
philosophy, and holy mantra is “by hook or crooks, let’s get to the chair
(office)”. In the wake of his gay speech, I remember this Ratna park incident
and I feel for all genuine (no fake) gays and transgender, however, marriage is
a different issue. Homosexual are people too and we should love them. People of
all religions, Christians, Muslims, Hindus! Whoever you are... you all think
your position on homosexuality is supported by God? I think not. What will make
you consider the idea? What will make you wonder? When your wives give birth to
a gay child?
