Mid-Day Anniversary | Browse for a House: Meet the Mumbaikar helping queer Indians find safe homes

Jain contemplates his life journey silhouetted against the sea

Sachin Jain (50) rolls back the years to the 1990s, when he moved to Thane for work. The gay man born and raised here, a ‘Bandra boy' like we say in aamchi Mumbai thought all will go well in the central suburb, his work destination.

He was unprepared for a homophobic flat mate. Jain said, "He made insulting remarks after learning I am gay. My neighbour invaded my privacy by looking through the keyhole. My landlord prohibited me from putting up curtains and asked me to leave abruptly. When I spoke to other gay men in the late 1990s about their experiences, many had faced similar situations after moving to Mumbai in search of greater personal freedom."

Sachin Jain says it is queer without fear at his Bandra home

From that angst came not anger but assistance. Jain started the Gay Housing Assistance Resource with the apt acronym GHAR in 2000. Jain explained, "It was initially launched online on eGroups in 1998 but remained largely dormant. It later moved to Yahoo Groups, where it gained momentum, and then to Facebook in 2012."

Jain added, "GHAR is both a WhatsApp community and a Facebook group. It serves as an aggregator that helps LGBT people find safe and supportive housing by connecting them with compatible flat mates and rental opportunities. GHAR is not Mumbai-specific. The WhatsApp community has city-wise groups covering more than 100 Indian cities."

Life lessons from Sachin Jain. Pics/Satej Shinde

Pan-India, Jain said, "For queer couples, renting is easiest in Mumbai, both in the city and the suburbs. These parts of the metropolitan region tend to be more liberal and progressive, with greater respect for individual privacy, although exceptions always exist." The downside is money, money, money which is not so funny in a renters world.

"Renting in Mumbai proper is very expensive. So, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan-Dombivli, and Vasai-Virar now have their own vibrant queer communities and are comparatively more affordable. These areas also have their own queer groups and even Pride marches. Within Mumbai, bohemian Bandra (W) remains a perennial favourite because of its cafés, bars and restaurants, shopping, seafront promenades, and, most importantly, its strong sense of community. Affordability, however, remains the biggest challenge," said Jain.

Mum's the word for Jain with his mother Urjita

We have moved on since the 1990s but experiences of queer couples vary widely. Jain acceded, "There are still people who feel compelled to say they are cousins or to have a story prepared. However, little by little, more people are choosing to be honest about being a queer couple so that they can ensure their landlord is queer-friendly and avoid unpleasant surprises later."

If that sounds like rent money is all that queer couples should be worried about, that is not strictly true. GHAR exists Jain said to offer options, "As homophobia and transphobia, amongst landlords and within housing societies, remain widespread. Decisions are often at the mercy of the most prejudiced person on the housing society's management committee.

"Thankfully, attitudes have evolved significantly. The Supreme Court of India's 2018 judgment decriminalising same-sex relations, in which the Gay Housing Assistance Resource (GHAR) was mentioned, was a major milestone. Positive coverage across print, digital, and online media has also contributed to changing public attitudes."

It is not about the opening of brick ‘n' mortar doors but windows of the mind that is vital. Jain is heartened that, "the younger generation is gradually fostering a culture of neutrality in which consent matters most, and a person's sexual orientation or gender identity is not the primary focus. Yet, young queer people who are not financially independent continue to face violence and restrictions. Even after finding community, there remains an epidemic of loneliness because ‘coming out' is not a magic wand that solves every problem."

More obstacles than a 400m hurdle race notwithstanding, Jain said, "This journey has been the most important and fulfilling of my life. It has helped me better understand myself and find purpose in addressing historical and ongoing injustice faced by gay people. Along the way, I have met incredible queer people with whom I have grown old, witnessed their courage and resilience in carving out a place for themselves in Indian society while also integrating into it, contributing to it, and changing it in their own unique ways."

What is a story without anecdotes? Jain recalled how one trans person used GHAR to move away from their biological family, who did not want them to transition. They found squeer roommates and moved into a shared flat, where they received support during both their pre-operative preparation and post-operative recovery. "Several gay men who came to Mumbai used GHAR to find gay or lesbian roommates, and now live in queer households where friendship provides love and support through bonds as strong as family."

Today Jain said he wants more networking. Future plans include hosting monthly city-wise meet ups for queer renters across India and building informal city-wise networks of queer people and allies. These can provide temporary housing in emergency situations for queer persons, those who have been thrown out of their homes and urgently need shelter to make the adage: ‘home is where the heart is' a lived reality.