Q. What is the difference in the way marginalizedcommunities in India live today and the way they lived a decade ago? How has Naz Foundation contributed to this alteredperception?

A. The homosexualcommunity in India lived in hiding a decade ago and it still does. There hasbeen no huge change in social perception regarding marginalized communities. In September 2001, Naz India filed aPublic Interest Litigation (PIL) to challenge Section 377 of the Indian PenalCode in the Delhi High Court. On July 2, 2009, the Delhi High Court pronouncedthat Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code will exclude consensual sex betweenadults.

 The decriminalization of homosexuality has been aprogressive step. It has made society accept the fact that we can neithercastigate homosexuals, nor ignore them by sweeping their issues under the carpet.

Q. What remains to be done now?

A. The High Courtjudgement, however, does not talk about gay rights. Indians have a long way togo in terms of procuring basic human rights for gay people so that they leadfulfilled lives - they must have the right to marry, be able to adopt children,have a respectable livelihood and be able to take care of their families.

 As a culture, we still believe that we are obliged tomarry a member of the opposite sex and give birth to children to gain respectin society. Even single persons are not respected, leave alone people of adifferent sexual orientation.

Q. What would you say to a section of people who stillthink that the sexual behavior of marginalized communities is an abnormalitythat has to be treated medically?

A. To them, Iwould say that medical, psychological and psychiatric research has constantlyshown that a section of any community is gay. The reason why they are gay is amatter of ongoing research.

 Again, studies have shown that homosexuals cannot becomeheterosexual and vice-versa. There is sometimes, forced bisexuality in societybecause people refuse to acknowledge homosexuality.

 We need to understand that homosexual behavior has been observed in near about 1,500 species,ranging from primates to gut worms, and is well-recorded for 500 of species.Being gay is not an abnormality or illness.

Q. What are the greatest challenges facing you in thework that you do today? How do you think civil society and the government canreach out and help you?

A. The greatestchallenges we face today are from the conservative forces of society. We are inthe Supreme Court now, fighting again for the decriminalization judgment thatthe High Court passed in 2009. The hearing is going on now and we expect ajudgment soon. We have to move ahead from there - a gamut of rights has to bemade available to the homosexual community.

 Political will from the part of the government, lawslegislated for the progress and protection of the gay community will surelymake things better. Larger coalitions in society are very important to bringabout a movement to empower them. Action Plus is a group, which is doing a lotof good in this context. Celebrities like Celina Jaitley, Koena Mitra and PoojaBedi have been very vocal in their support for the LGTB (Lesbian, Gay,Transgender and Bisexual) people.

Q. What are the learnings that we must borrow from thewest in bringing the sexually marginalized into the mainstream and treatingthem at par with other citizens of the country?

A. We can learn alot from the US where homosexuals today have so many rights. A lesbian couplerecently fought and won a legal battle against the government for healthinsurance rights.

 As a democracy, we need to understand that everyone hasequal rights. We must learn to respect differences - even in sexualorientation. Also, there will be no social change overnight, and there will bemany years of struggle to contend with. However, the only way to go is the wayforward.

Q. India has a long way to go to provide healthcare forHIV patients. How can the lives and futures of HIV positive children besecured?

A. When poorchildren are HIV positive, they get a very raw deal - they have no access tonutrition, sanitation, and medication. We have to fight for underlying issuesof right to childhood, issues of poverty, and malnutrition.

 The situation is slightly better for adults. Allgovernment hospitals offer free testing for HIV and free retroviral drugs. Anyadult can enroll in an Anti-Retroviral (ARV) clinic. If one's CD 4 level fallsbelow 350, doctors start treating the patient.

Q How are you sensitizing the keepers of the law, thepolice, to the suffering of HIV positive people?

A. Naz India is working with the police services in New Delhi.We conduct weekly training workshops for police personnel. The training aims tobuild awareness of HIV/AIDS and tackles issues of discrimination, physicalharassment, corruption and Human Rights.

Q. What are the anti-retroviral drugs available fortreatment of HIV positive children? How do you plan to give HIV positiveadolescents a livelihood, so that they survive independently and also do notspread the infection?

A. We have thefirst and second line of anti-retroviral drugs available free of cost from thegovernment through AIIMS. The third line of drugs, however, is extremelyexpensive and is not available free of cost. Our children are all on the firstand second line of drugs. The oldest child we have is an 18-year-old who isbeing trained in computers. He will surely be able to earn his livelihood aslong as he lives. In the US, HIV positive children have survived till the ageof 25 years.

 AtNaz, we teach children life skills from the age of eight or nine so that theyknow about their condition, grow up to accept it and do not spread the virus.

Q. How many full-blown cases of AIDS have you treated andhow?

A. There were many full-blown AIDS cases and relateddeaths at Naz during the years when anti-retroviral drugs were not available. All that has come to an end and our HIV positive children are living healthy, happy lives.