How Gay is Pakistan? - BBC Three - 2015

How Gay Is Pakistan documentary by loveeverything
Mawaan Rizwan asks what life is really like for gay people in Pakistan, where homosexuality is illegal and considered by some as a disease. In this revealing journey to the country of his birth, Mawaan meetspeople living gay and transgender lives despite constant fear of persecution. He discovers a fascinating and shocking private world where sex between men is surprisingly common, but where LGBT rights are limited. During his time in the country he's also offered a miracle herbal cure for his own homosexuality.

How Gay is Pakistan? Well, more than you might think. At least that was the findings of gay British YouTuber Mawaan Rizwan on his return to his country of birth. Coming out to his family was “the worst news for Pakistani parents to hear”, but in such a fundamentalist country he discovered gay sex dens, underground LGBT parties and communities of transgender women living together.

Homosexuality is illegal in Pakistan, where it is viewed as an offence against Islamic law. As a result, LGBT people face abuse every day. Rizwan bravely admitted he was gay in front of an imam, whose blunt response was: “The hole made for the human body is for waste, it is not for sex.”

Convinced he could cure the presenter of his homosexual “illness”, he prescribed a course of medication after feeling Rizwan's pulse, from which he magically concluded his liver was overheated, causing his “urine to mix with semen”. Thankfully, the 24-year-old had the last laugh when he rang him after taking the course of medicine to tell him he still had sexual feelings towards men. The only offensive thing here was the imam's outdated views – and his gross, orange beard.

Being gay in Pakistan is no laughing matter, but Rizwan did a good job injecting some humour into what could have been a worthier-than-thou documentary. From talking to couple Sid and Kami about their plans for a “Big Gay Muslim Wedding”, to admitting he wanted to “curl up and go back to zone two London”, he was easy to relate to. It is only a shame the documentary failed to speak to any lesbian Pakistanis.