The National Medical Commission (NMC), India’s apex medical education regulator, has reversed a previous decision to remove ‘lesbianism’ from its definition of ‘unnatural sexual offences’ in its forensic medicine curriculum. This move, announced in a revised curriculum, has sparked widespread criticism and concerns about the perpetuation of discriminatory and outdated practices within the medical field.
The NMC’s updated curriculum reintroduces ‘lesbianism’ alongside ‘sodomy’ under the category of ‘unnatural sexual offences.’ It also includes sections emphasizing the ‘importance of the hymen,’ defining ‘virginity’ and ‘defloration,’ and discussing their ‘medico-legal importance.’ These provisions have been met with strong opposition, as they reinforce outdated and discriminatory notions about sexuality and gender.
In 2022, the NMC had modified its syllabus to make it more inclusive towards the LGBTQ+ community. This included removing ‘sodomy’ and ‘lesbianism’ from the definition of unnatural sexual offences, recognizing the distinction between sexual fetishes and mental disorders, and declaring the two-finger test for virginity as ‘unscientific, inhuman, and discriminatory.’ The NMC has not provided any explanation for the reversal of these progressive steps.
The revised curriculum also eliminates the distinction between consensual sex among queer individuals and criminal acts like incest and bestiality, further raising concerns about the potential for misinterpretation and misuse of the information by medical professionals. The curriculum also includes sections discussing sexual perversions such as fetishism, voyeurism, sadism, and masochism, without offering any context or guidance on their ethical and medical implications.
The NMC’s decision to reintroduce ‘lesbianism’ as a ‘sexual offence’ has been met with strong condemnation from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups and human rights organizations. They argue that this move reinforces harmful stereotypes and prejudices against LGBTQ+ individuals and could potentially lead to discrimination and violence against them.
The reintroduction of outdated and discriminatory content in the NMC’s curriculum raises serious concerns about the quality of medical education in India and its impact on the well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals. It is crucial that the NMC reconsider its decision and ensure that its curriculum promotes inclusivity, respect, and ethical medical practices.
