GAYS Die Young!

Until the recent Delhi High Court judgment decriminalizing homosexuality, this subject was seldom discussed in public.  Sex between 2 people of the same sex was considered unlawful, immoral and hence remained clandestine. The extensive media coverage of exuberant gays and lesbians hugging and petting each other in the open, after the judgement, has made many wonder if being gay has become the latest “in thing”.

Homosexuality poses a hazard to health. In a study of 5406 homosexual men in Canada, Dr Robert Hogg noted that their life expectancy was reduced by 8 to 20 years (http://ije.oxfordjournals.org). Through another recent study, researchers from Center for Disease Control (CDC), USA, reconfirmed that gays die around 10-20 years younger than those who engage in normal sexual practice. “These sobering results of our research should encourage our society to reaxamine what it’s doing with those who engage in homosexuality”, says Dr Paul Cameron, President of the Family Research Institute, who headed the study. He went on to say “schools are doing a fine job educating students about the dangers of smoking and use of illegal drugs, but are increasingly teaching that homosexuality is normative and safe as heterosexual behaviour. It is NOT. Homosexual activity is much more dangerous to health than smoking” (LifeSite News.com).

The most common health problems in homosexual men are:

1.      Increase in infections: especially HIV / AIDS, syphilis, gonorrhea, pubic lice, Hepatitis B, papilloma and warts.

2.      Increase in cancers: especially of large intestine (colon), prostate, and testes.

3.      Increased incidence of eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia nervosa and obesity

4.      Increased incidence of psychological problems: such as anxiety and depression. Suicides are 6 times more common among homosexuals than straight people.

5.      Increased incidence of addiction problems especially: tobacco (50% more than in straight men) alcohol, drugs.

In addition, problems with body image are more common among gay men. They more often indulge in muscle building, ear piercing, tattooing, and use substances like anabolic steroids and supplements that can adversely affect their health.

Lesbians also have increased similar health risks; they are particularly prone to breast and gynecological cancers.

In India, atleast 2.5 million men self identify as exclusively homosexual; the actual number could be much higher. It is postulated that while 95% of people get attracted to the opposite sex from the time they become adolescent, 5% are sexually oriented to the same sex. Environmental pressures probably contribute in shaping sexual preferences; it is common knowledge that homosexuality is more prevalent in same sex hostels, jails and barracks, and when opportunities for normal heterosexual exposure are denied for prolonged periods.

As published in HT City ( Hindustan Times)