Dear Editor,
In the Tulsidas Ramayana, (Sri Ramcharitmanasa), one of the important parts is the dialogue between Lord Rama and Kakbhusundi, where Lord Rama explains about the compassion for devotees. In the Uttarkanda, Doha 87, Lord Rama continues..
“..be it man, woman or ‘one lacking the characteristics of both’ or for the matter of that, any living being whatsoever, of the animate or the inanimate world, he who adores Me with all his being, giving up all guile is supremely dear to Me..” (Gita Press translation available at http://www.gitapress.org/books/ramayan/1318/uttar1023_1101.pdf )
The Ramayana has no problem naming ‘napumsaka’ as part of the human diversity, napumsaka referring to those we might consider ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’ today.