DESIGNER'S 'PACT', MISUNDERSTOOD, MAKES IT TO HEADLINES NATIONWIDE PANJIM: It made it to the headlines across the country, but prominent Goa-based fashion designer Wendell Rodricks is thankful that the Goa press showed restraint while reporting over this contentious event.
Rodricks, who formalised his gay relationship with with French national Jerome Marrel on December 26, said some journalists had reported on the event "without talking" to him and had even called it a "marriage" or speculated about a "honeymoon". Under the French legal system, the law allows for two persons staying together to enter into a 'pact of solidarity' (PACS, as it is called under its Francophone acronym). "This can be entered by any two people who opt to live together. It could be an elderly lady and a young man who may not prefer to marry or adopt. It applies to heterosexuals or homosexuals," said Rodricks (42). "There is no exchange of rings, or now vows. I have a big bone to pick with the 'Indian Express' for its cover story," said Rodricks, when asked about this during a news conference held on the weekend, over his design-related research. The PACS says the two partners agree to live together and share everything, or their property and financial assets in case of the death of either. "This is not legal in India. Neither is it illegal in India," said Rodricks. "It's like an affadivit signed between two people, but can't be contested in France." This event has been widely reported on in the outstation media. Writer Shobhaa De commented: "They (Wendell and Jerome) love each other. And have for 20 long years. A love that endures two decades and allows the couple to flower is a love worth celebrating." "In a world full of hypocrites, they've shown what moral courage really means. The fashion industry in particular, is full of gay men and women, who pretend to be straight (what on earth for, I wonder)," De commented in an article published in Mumbai. 365gay.com, an international website, has also reported that the "first gay civil union ceremony in India has been held under a glare of media attention". 365gay.com said that while the Indian government officials refused comment, "the public act and the publicity that accompanied it puts increased pressure on the government to strike down the anti-gay laws which date back to the days of the British Empire". Some commentators however saw it as part of trend which counters traditional values. This unsual story involved one of Goa's most prominent fashion designer -- -- Wendell Rodricks a returned Goan from Mumbai, who has made this state his home in recent years. Like many Goans settled outside, Rodricks' family has been outside Goa for decades. Rodricks earlier said he was not eager about "communicating to any press". But he commented that whatever had been write "has been hearsay". This news, he suggested, had been met with an "overwhelming positive reaction", though he was a "wee bit concerned" about "some retaliation". Goa, inspite of its image as being a somewhat hedonistic fun centre, is actually a society based on fairly conservative mores. Its Westernised style of celebrating however leads some outsiders, specially the average domestic tourist from India, to re-enkindle their Bollywood-fuelled images of this state as a place for hedonism. Rodricks has been high-profile in the media, and part of his concern is believed to stem from his eagerness to be known to the public as a designer, rather than some "gay flag carrier". His work has been widely displayed in Goa and across the globe, and his fans extend far beyond the bold and the beautiful. In the past, the Goa government headed by Congress chief minister Pratapsing Rane engaged Rodricks to re-fashion the Goa police's uniforms from staid khaki to chic blue-and-white. But, on ascending to power, BJP's coalition chief minister Manohar Parrikar rescinded that decision and got the khaki uniforms back, except for the tourist police. But that did not stop the BJP from using Rodricks' somewhat pro-BJP pre-elections utterances as a part of their campaign for the May 2002 elections. 365gay.com said that while the Indian government officials refused comment, "the public act and the publicity that accompanied it puts increased pressure on the government to strike down the anti-gay laws which date back to the days of the British Empire". (ENDS) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ To unsubscribe from Goanews Send a mail message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: 'unsubscribe goanews'
