Esbaat - 31 (Special issue on Homosexuality)

A man's superiority and inferiority should depend on his ability and not on his gender. Transgenders, gays, and lesbians are only sexually different from the majority, they have everything else that everyone else has. Why then do we punish them for being sexually different? Why do we take away their right to live? If a woman is a source of attraction for a man, then what is the talent of that woman? And if a man is not attracted to a woman, then what is his fault? No one can fulfill his desire without his or her consent because it is a social crime. A 'gay' should not be forced to live with a woman because it is painful for him and for the woman.

Homosexuality has been an issue that has been debated for millennia. History, religion, sociology, psychology, science, and literature have been the central subject of interest in almost all fields of thought. As far as Urdu literature is concerned, from the beginning till now we have seen the domination of sexuality prominently on it and we consider it our proud capital, but the very thought of discussing this issue often makes us sweat. And some of us immediately start cursing. But just putting a handkerchief over the nose and a cap over the eyes is far from the solution, it cannot even be discussed academically. This book is an attempt to have a literary, historical, psychological and social dialogue on this controversial topic in Urdu.