Aamir Ali reveals teenage sexual harassment led him to stop using Mumbai trains
Aamir Ali, known for his TV acting, recently spoke about a troubling experience he had as a teenager. He recounted being sexually harassed at the age of 14, which was so upsetting it made him stop using trains in Mumbai.
Aamir explained this incident initially gave him some "reservations" about men attracted to other men. However, as he got older, he realised it wasn't fair to judge all gay men based on one bad experience from his youth.
Speaking to Hauterrfly, when asked about his gay friends, Aamir admitted to initial "reservations." He shared, "When you are young and the first time I travelled on a train… The reason I stopped travelling on trains was because I was being touched. I was 14. Then I started holding my bag closer to my back. Then one day, someone stole books from my bag and I thought, ‘Who steals books?’ And I decided I wouldn’t travel on a train."
Aamir Ali said that a couple of his friends later came out to him, which helped him understand he shouldn't be prejudiced due to his past. "Then, I had a couple of friends who came out and said that they have feelings for a man, and I know them so well. They are like my brothers. I could sleep in the same bed as them. And when they came out, then I felt that just because of a couple of experiences, I can’t judge the whole world. When you mature, you understand, your thoughts change," he stated.
Aamir Ali was previously married to actress Sanjeeda Sheikh. In a recent interview with Bombay Times, Aamir mentioned he struggled after their divorce. He also revealed he is currently not in contact with his six-year-old daughter, Arya.