INTRODUCING BOMBAY ALTERNATIVE SEXUALITIES

One evening, Sophie and Berry, two friends who work as make-up artists in Bollywood and the Bombay fashion industry, mentioned a gay communitybased organization (CBO) in Bombay. Sophie and Berry are biologically male but effeminate in personality and dress androgynously. Kuldeep, my friend who is a fashion designer and make-up artist from Bollywood, initially introduced me to Sophie and Berry. Kuldeep often hosts dinner parties and get-togethers at his place to which I was invited on several occasions. Sophie and Berry spoke of an informal organization of gay men in Bombay, which provides a system of support. Sophie and her (she preferred to be referred to with she/her pronouns) friends are actively involved in this community. With the help of Sophie, I was introduced to one of her friends, Rohan, who is a member of this community. The organization is called the Bombay Alternative Sexualities, or BAS. Rohan is of South Indian Tamil origin, belongs to the Brahmin caste and is a gynaecologist by profession. He is six-feet tall, dark and masculine in appearance. I was invited by Rohan to attend their ‘Saturday meeting’.

The monthly meetings are held in Santa Cruz, a suburb of Bombay. The most popular way to reach the area is to take a suburban train to the Santa Cruz station. Rohan provided me with directions. He told me to go along the Western side of the station until I reach a place called the ‘Main Avenue’. After arriving at the station, I took an autorickshaw which drove me through the famous S. V. Road, took a right turn to follow the Juhu Tara Road straight along until the third turning on the left, past the ‘German Bakery Shop’ until I came out close to Rizvi Gardens. The meeting was taking place at the home of Nilesh, a member of the BAS group. A fashion designer by profession, Nilesh seemed to be in his early forties and lived with his boyfriend.

The BAS's aim is to develop community acceptance and strengthen community identity by creating a forum in which relevant issues can be discussed. Meetings are also used as a sounding board for the interpersonal relationships of members. Most BAS members are from the middle- and upper-middle classes.