Psychiatrists issue statement supporting same-sex marriage ahead of SC hearing

The Indian Psychiatric Society has said that LGBTQA spectrum individuals should be treated like all citizens of the country and should be able to enjoy all civil rights including marriage and adoption

Ahead of the Supreme Court’s five-judge Constitution Bench deciding the validity of same-sex marriages in India, the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) on Sunday came out with a position statement in support of same-sex marriage, saying that LGBTQA spectrum individuals should be treated like all citizens of the country.

The Indian Psychiatric Society’s position statement that homosexuality is not an illness had played a key role in the Supreme Court striking down Article 377, which criminalised homosexuality, on September 6, 2018. (Representative Image)

The IPS’s position statement that homosexuality is not an illness had played a key role in the Supreme Court striking down Article 377, which criminalised homosexuality, on September 6, 2018. It had said that the LGBTQA spectrum are variants of normal sexuality, not deviant, and certainly not an illness.

Last month, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud said that a batch of petitions demanding legal validation for same-sex marriages will be decided by a Constitution bench, and posted the matter for hearing on April 18. The Centre has opposed the plea to validate same-sex marriage, and said that the apex court now carries the “grave responsibility” of determining how society will be shaped in future.

The latest IPS statement on same-sex marriage said, “The Indian Psychiatric Society would like to reiterate that these individuals be treated like all citizens of the country, and once a citizen, one can enjoy all civil rights like education, employment, housing, income, government or military service, access to health care, property rights, marriage, adoption and survivorship benefits to name a few. “

It further said that there is no evidence to indicate that individuals on the LGBTQA spectrum cannot partake any of the above. “On the contrary, any form of discrimination that prevents accessing any of the above rights, may lead to mental health issues,” it said.

Adding that it is aware that a child adopted into a same-gendered family may face challenges, stigma and/or discrimination along the way, the statement said, “It is imperative that, once legalised, such parents of the LGBTQA spectrum bring up the children in a gender neutral, unbiased environment. It is also of utmost importance that the family, community, school and society in general are sensitised to protect and promote the development of such a child, and prevent stigma and discrimination at any cost.”

IPS is an umbrella body of psychiatrists in the country, which has close to 8,000 members.

“It took nearly a month to reach to the conclusion that we should have this position statement. Our statement is based on science and not philosophy,” said Dr Vinay Kumar, president, IPS.