India declares homosexuality is not a mental illness

In a huge step forward for a country that still criminalises homosexuality, India’s largest body of mental health professionals, the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) has declared that “homosexuality should not be treated as an illness.”

IPS president, Dr Ajit Bhide, made the announcement on a video posted on Facebook. “Certain people are not cut out to be heterosexual and we don’t need to castigate them, we don’t need to punish them, to ostracize them,” he said. “It is a step in the right direction… whatever your sexual orientation, whatever your sexual preference, as long as there is no other party being hurt, an individual should be allowed to practice.”

Chairperson of the IPS taskforce on LGBT+ people, Dr Kersi Chavda, said “This statement is our official stand on homosexuality, that it not a disease and should not treated like one. This is the first time we have released an official stand.”

“This is for the first time IPS has publically made a categorical statement on its take on homosexuality. Now, they must inform all IPS members in strictest possible terms to stop practising conversion therapies...” said Dr Bhooshan Shukla, a Pune based psychiatrist.

LGBT+ activist, Vikram Doctor, praised the decision, but lamented how long it took the IPS to reach it: “It should have been done 20 years, but I am glad they have now come up with it now. It (the IPS statement) will be an effective argument in the cour to challenge bodies that support criminalisation of homosexuality based on religious point of views.”

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