Hindus Push their Support for Equal Rights for Same-Sex UN Employees

Leaders of the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) commended the United Nations Secretary General’s decision to extend benefits to same sex couples working at the UN. They also criticized a resolution, introduced by Russia, and supported by 43 countries, including India, that sought to reverse the change.

“Same sex couples deserve the same rights and respect granted to opposite sex couples, and we commend the Secretary General’s efforts to treat all UN employees with equal dignity,” said Samir Kalra, Esq., Senior Director and Human Rights Fellow at HAF. “We are disappointed to see India, a vibrant secular democracy, support this misguided resolution, alongside rampant human rights abusers, such as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, Egypt, and Syria.”

HAF has previously criticized the Indian government’s criminalization of homosexuality, arguing that the Hindu faith urges acceptance and support of the LGBT communities.

“The essential core of Hindu teachings is that an individual’s value is not based on his or her sexual orientation, but on one’s ability to transcend the body, senses, and ego,” said Swaminathan Venkataraman, member of HAF’s Executive Council and primary author of the widely acclaimed Hinduism and Homosexuality, which appeared in Trikone magazine in 2009. “Hindu culture — the culture of India’s majority — has a long tradition of not only tolerance, but acceptance of differences — be they religious, cultural, or sexual. India should reassert this ethos and lead in the fight for dignity, respect, and equality for all.”