BHUBANESWAR: With the Supreme Court verdict on legal validation for same-sex marriage on the anvil, ace sprinter Dutee Chand said she is keenly awaiting the apex court ruling to get officially married to her partner Monalisa Das, and become a father.
The first Indian athlete to have admitted to being in a same-sex relationship, Dutee had ‘married’ Monalisa in 2019 at a temple in Chandikhole in presence of some of her friends. The couples’ families who have objected to their relationship weren’t involved.
Dutee, who came out in the open about her sexuality and relationship with Monalisa in 2019, said she identifies herself as the husband and Monalisa as the wife. The two-time Olympian wished to become a parent after officially marrying her partner. The couple plans to explore in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), surrogacy, or adoption to welcome their child. “Today everything is possible through technology, including parenthood,” she said adding, in the parenthood journey, she wishes to be the father while Monalisa would be the mother.
“Love doesn’t differentiate between religion, gender, caste and creed. Everyone has the right to love whoever they want to. I came out and revealed my relationship with Monalisa. We have been living together in Bhubaneswar since then,” she said.
The sprinter wants to marry Monalisa again in presence of both their families and public after the Supreme Court accords legal sanction to same-sex marriage. “We haven’t yet thought of a date because Monalisa is busy with her career and I am occupied with my sporting events,” she said and added that they want the SC nod to same-sex marriages as that would certify and legalise their social union.“Same-sex marriage has been legalised in many countries. India being a democratic country should also legalise it for couples like us so that we and our children do not face any societal problems in future,” Dutee said.