Representational file image.
| Photo Credit: Vijay Bate
Samvardhinee Nyas, a wing of the Rashtra Sevika Samiti (the women’s equivalent of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS), is conducting a survey across the country among doctors, allied medical professionals (such as physiotherapists and psychologists), and AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa Rigpa, and Homeopathy) practitioners, on their observations on those who identify as queer. The responses will be shared with the Supreme Court that is currently hearing the same-sex marriage issue, said Madhuri Marathe, organising secretary of the group that was launched in 2021.
According to the Samvardhinee Nyas, which calls itself a cultural body that celebrates matrushakti (motherhood), the initial findings from 300+ entries suggest that medical practitioners who took the survey believe homosexuality is a disorder (60.69%). Many do not recommend marriage rights for the LGBTQ+ community (84.2%).
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The survey has eight questions, including, “Do you think that marriage is necessary for homosexuals to have a sexual life?” It also asks the participants if sexually transmitted diseases are more common in those from the community (83% said yes), and if they believe the Supreme Court should intervene in the decision of marriage (57% feel it should not). Medical practitioners who have been working for five to 30 years have been asked to fill in the Google form.
“Up to 67.6% doctors feel that homosexual parents cannot bring up children properly, while 19.18% feel they can; about 13.2% participants are not sure,” a senior office bearer of the Samvardhinee Nyas said.
The survey has so far found that 23.5% medical practitioners have treated patients from the LGBTQ+ community, while 76.41% say they have never come across any patient who identifies as queer.
Ms. Marathe said the survey reflects that the decision to legalise marriages within the queer community would “promote” the “spread” of the “disorder”. Also, “Such relations may increase sexually transmitted diseases” that will threaten society as a whole. She added that Samwardhini Nyas does not support marriage amongst those who identify as LGBTQ+ as women’s security will be at stake.