But for gays in India, prison was only one of the risks. The law banned sex considered “against the order of nature,” and thousands of people were prosecuted under it. But what made India stand out from most - at least until Thursday - was its application of an anachronistic law drawn up by British colonizers during the Victorian era and kept on the books for 150 years. Much of this may also be true in other parts of the world. Countless gays have been shunned by their parents and persecuted by society. Loved ones who try to rebel are often ostracized. Many Indians are extremely socially conservative, going to great lengths to arrange marriages with the right families, of the right castes. And few suggested that other major victories, like same-sex marriage, were on the near horizon. Changing a law is one thing - changing deeply held mind-sets another. Still, however historic the ruling of the court, considered a liberal counterweight to the conservative politics sweeping India, gay people here know that their landscape remains treacherous.
With restrictions on gay rights toppling in country after country, the ruling in India, the world’s second-most-populous nation, may encourage still more nations to act, she said. As for an inclusive workplace, the study said the respondents' consensus was that it is an office that would "…allow no name-calling, bullying or dominance of heteronormativity but would value everybody's contribution equally." The study said: "Inclusive organizations that were open to the idea of diverse sexual orientations and went beyond the male and female binary were considered trustworthy, secure, safe and, hence, ethical.“This ruling is hugely significant,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, the South Asia director for Human Rights Watch.
They fear such a revelation might hurt their prospects of getting salary hikes or promotions. The study showed that since few companies have an inclusivity policy, only a minuscule proportion of the respondents had told their bosses about their sexual orientation. Prof Noronha said the study highlighted the fact that lesbians faced more challenges, when they came out, compared to gay men. "Several of the respondents came out, even if with caution." "The study also makes a case for inclusive HR policies, not only for LGs but for all at large so that they feel secure," he said.
GAY SEX VIDEO INDIA FULL
But once we got them, it provided a perspective that was full of courage," he said. "It took us a long time to find respondents.
Prof Noronha, who teaches organizational behaviour at IIM-A, said that the study was among the first primarily focusing on gay people's workplace experiences in India. The respondents said they had to first assess their colleagues' potential responses by discreetly broaching topics such as LGBT rights or queer films. Researchers said that some of the respondents confided in their colleagues whom they found trustworthy and understanding. Almost all of them often encountered questions about their marriage, social life, and their girlfriend or boyfriend. The respondents said that they often remained a part of the heterosexual crowd - a safety tactic known as ‘straight acting' - fearing ostracization and even bullying. Their social media accounts were different even for their friends and colleagues or family. The interviews afforded rare and poignant insights - one, for instance, is that most of the respondents led dual lives, involving the projection of straight selves. It is one of the few studies focusing on the work life of gay people in India's corporate structures. The study included the experiences of 40 gay men and lesbians working with some prominent India-based firms. It was published recently in ‘Journal of Business Ethics' of the Springer group. The study, ‘From Fear to Courage: Indian lesbians' and gays' quest for inclusive ethical organizations', was authored by Ernesto Noronha and Premilla D'Cruz from IIM-A and Nidhi S Bisht from MDI Gurgaon. On the brighter side, in-depth interviews of gay and lesbian executives and managers by the researchers revealed that they can now confide in their colleagues who are supportive. A study by IIM-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) and MDI, Gurugram, indicates that the scrapping of Section 377 is yet to bring about a sweeping inclusivity in India Inc as most still chose to hide their sexual orientation from their bosses and continued to live dual lives fearing adverse impact on career prospects.