Episode 59: India’s Foreign Marriage Act With Parag Mehta and Vaibhav Jain
In honor of Pride Month, I had the honor of interviewing my friends, Parag Mehta and Vaibhav Jain, a couple who has not just inspired the LGBTQ+ community, but also the South Asian community around the world.
Last March, they tried to register their marriage with the Indian Consulate in NYC under India’s Foreign Marriage Act, which is a pretty standard process for Indian citizens who get married abroad (Parag is from Texas and Vaibhav is from Delhi). This is their story, their journey really, from the time they got denied the registration at the NYC consulate to filing a precedent-setting petition with the Delhi High Court, urging the Indian government and its Ministry of External Affairs to recognize same-sex marriages.
We talk about the history of gay rights and laws in India, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, attorneys Menaka Guruswamy and Arundhati Katju, the faces behind the historic Section 377 verdict in 2018, and other gay couples who are fighting for equal and inclusive rights in India.
Parag and Vaibhav discuss their family's journey of acceptance and love, how they met at Vaibhav’s first Pride parade in DC and how they were able to support each other, why we all need to understand how mental illness can play a big role for many young kids who don't have the support they need, and why it is so important for them to represent the LGBTQ+ voices in India that are not being heard, even while they worry about the safety of their own families.
And while their case is still going on, one thing is for sure-Parag and Vaibhav love their country. They see progress and they see a positive shift towards acceptance. They have faith in the Indian government, they have faith in the people, and most importantly, they have faith in true Indian values.
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