Dutee Chand faces expulsion from family after revealing same sex relationship

Unapologetic about her same-sex relationship with a younger relative, India's fastest woman Dutee Chand is facing a tough battle of acceptance in her family.

Dutee, who won two silver medals at 2018 Asian Games, became one of few athletes in world to openly mit same-sex relationship.

"I am having a relationship with a 19-year-old woman from my vill for past five years. She is studying B.A. 2nd year in a Bhubaneswar college. She is a relative of mine and whenever I come to home, I spend time with her. She is a kind of soul-mate for me and I want to settle down with her in future," Chand, 23, told PTI from Hyderab where she is training.

RE: 'In Future, I Would Like To Settle Down With Her': India's Fastest Woman Dutee Chand Reveals That She Is In A Same-sex Relationship

A landmark judgement of  Supreme Court last year h me same sex relationship between consenting ults a n criminal act though marri between such individuals is still t legal in India.

Dutee, 100m national record holder (11.24 seconds), says while her parents have t yet raised any objection to her relationship, her eldest sister has threatened to t only expel her from family but also send her to jail.

"My eldest sister kind of wields power and authority in my family. She has thrown out my elder bror from home because she does t like his wife. She has threatened me that same will happen to me. But I am also an ult who has individual freedom. So, I decided to go ahe with this and make it public.

"My eldest sister feels that my partner is interested in my property. She has told me that she will send me to jail for having this relationship," she said.

Dutee said her partner is free to marry whoever she wants to if she decides to do so in future.

"I will continue my athletics career. I am going to take part in World University Games next month and hope to qualify for World Championships later this year. My aim to qualify for next year's Olympics, so I am training hard," she said.

While Dutee refused to name her partner, she said  Supreme Court judgement on issue gave her cour to go public.

"My partner also agreed that we should make this public and face whatever repercussions it may bring to us. I believe in individual freedom and right to decide how and with whom I will live my life." 

She said ar reason for coming out in open was that she did t want something which happened with sprinter Pinki Pramanik, who was accused of rape by her live-in partner.

Pinki was a member of  2006 Asian Games 4x400m relay gold winning team.

"We did t want this kind of situation happening in future," Dutee said.

Dutee, who was banned for one year by  international athletics federation in 2014 for having higher testosterone (male sex hormone) level than permissible, hails from Chaka Gopalpur vill at Jajpur district of Odisha and she was born to Chakrhar Chand and Akhuji Chand.

Dutee won a landmark '' case against IAAF in an appeal to  Court of Arbitration in 2015 and she was allowed to compete after being banned for one year.

CAS suspended IAAF's policy on hyperandrogenism for two years.

Later world body changed policy, which applicable only on female athletes competing in range of 400m to 1500m, leaving out Dutee, who competes in 100m and 200m, from its ambit.