Tag: Family Diversity

This image consists of a horizontally rectangular photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph is placed in the upper half of the image and the text in the lower half. The photograph shows a number of heart-shaped paper cutouts, deep red in colour, stringed in a series on a thick thread of the same colour. The thread stretches across the photograph against a dark grey background. The cutouts are of different sizes. Their colour makes for a striking contrast against the background. The text says: “It's been a while since I left the NGO, but I still have the people who gave me a space and taught me it’s okay to seek help. It isn’t always pretty, not always sunshine and rainbows, and sometimes it gets ugly and tangled. At the end though, the feeling of belonging to that tangle of hearts – that’s my queer joy. When surviving becomes difficult, this joy helps me breathe, it helps me live my politics.” Photo credit: Jonny Gios on Unsplash

My Story, Vartanama Jan '26

When I stopped surviving alone

By Sangeetha Elsa

Sangeetha Elsa travelled miles but found friendship and queer joy nearer home in a tangle of hearts

This image is a combination of a photograph with text extracted from the accompanying article superimposed on the photograph. The photograph shows a dusk-time long shot of a sunset. The sun, a golden yellow sphere, can be seen gleaming at the bottom edge of the photograph. Some building tops and TV antennae silhouetted against the sunlight can also be seen along the bottom edge of the photograph. The rest of the photograph shows a wide expanse of a mauve sky speckled with light clouds. The text is presented in a typeface resembling handwriting and says: “When we talk of the pain and trauma of conversion therapy, this is also an area where I feel compelled to intervene and stop this horrific practice. Aritra, we both know people who have gone through this, and we have learned from them about the torturous outcomes and consequences. It is heartbreaking to think that wanting to live as who we are is still considered to be something to be ashamed of and to remain hidden. So, as someone older, I also want those younger to know that it is possible to not just survive, but to thrive, to find love, to create a chosen family, and to also continue to strive for change.” Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Commentary, Insight Jul '25

On queer self-determination (part 2)

By Meera, Aritra C.

The e-conversation between mental health professionals Meera Dhebar and Aritra C. on queer worldmaking across time periods and cultures continues

This image shows a still from the award-winning documentary film ‘Amma’s Pride’ directed by Shiva Krish. In the image, Srija, the main protagonist of the film is seen smiling and talking on her mobile phone, while Valli, her mother, looks on standing next to her also smiling brightly. Mother and daughter are both inside their house, and in the background can be seen sundry household objects placed on shelves or hanging on walls. The background objects have been slightly blurred to enhance the focus on Srija and Valli. Image courtesy Shiva Krish

Happenings, Vartanama May '25

Pursuing resilience, embracing hope

By Meghjit Sengupta, Pawan Dhall

Meghjit Sengupta reflects on an event centred around award-winning documentary ‘Amma’s Pride’, the story of transgender woman Srija whose marriage to Arunkumar, a cisgender man, in 2019 set a legal...

This photograph shows a close-up shot of some of the books mentioned by the author in the accompanying article. One lot of five books are kept in a not-so-neat vertical pile on the author’s study table. These include T. J. Klune’s ‘In the Lives of Puppets’, ‘The House in the Cerulean Sea’ and ‘Somewhere Beyond the Sea’, Aiden Thomas’ ‘Cemetery Boys’, and Mason Deaver’s ‘Wish You All the Best’ right on top of the pile. Lex Croucher’s ‘Gwen & Art Are Not in Love’ is placed reclining on the pile on the right- hand side. To the pile’s left is the cover page of Andrew Joseph White’s ‘Hell Followed with Us’ visible on a Kindle e-reader. An open laptop, pen stand, and photo frame can be seen crowding the same study table as the books. In the background are two almirahs and a door ajar. Photo credit: Mihir Seth

Printed Word, Vartanama Jan '25

Notes on hoping taken from teenage queer fiction

By Mihir Seth

Mihir Seth finds the strength to go on in queer stories of trials, tribulations and hope

This illustration is a combination of a photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph shows a small rainbow with the six queer pride colours (violet, blue, green, yellow, orange and red) drawn with chalk on a dark grey and stony sidewalk. The accompanying text says: “Clearly, family acceptance interventions must be broad-based and seek to lessen the burden on the parents, who may be just as trapped as their queer child by societal norms. There is nothing like allies emerging from within the family! Allies of not just the queer child, but also the parents. This could make it much easier for the parents to come to terms with their child’s reality.” Photo credit: Alex Jackman on Unsplash

Insight Nov '24

Queer allies in need of allies

By Mahua Seth

Mahua Seth points out the importance of allies within the larger family fold for parents of queer individuals

Quote: Tamil Nadu’s draft gender and sexual minority policy does not simply make a claim for marriage equality for queer persons but nudges the State to reimagine the family beyond kinship and marriage. By doing so it focuses on the functional conceptualisation of the family, namely what families should do, as opposed to the form of the family, namely what families should look like. A functional approach thus seeks to centre values of mutual care, love and dependence as definitive of a family, as opposed to only marriage and biological relatedness. The draft policy thus marks an entry into a radical possibility of family law expanding beyond its narrow normative foundations.

Insight May '24

Queering the family: Tamil Nadu shows the way

By Namrata

Namrata writes about the developments around the Deed of Familial Association in Tamil Nadu and how it can lead to recognition of queer relationships

This daytime photograph shows around half a dozen parents and other family members of queer persons smiling brightly and walking behind a large banner of Sweekar – The Rainbow Parents at the ‘20th Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk’ held on December 17, 2023. The author is also among these parents. A few individuals walking behind them are holding up two placards in Bengali that translated into English say: “So what if they are trans or gay, they are our children.” The photograph has been taken at a point on Park Street, from where a part of the Maa flyover can be seen behind the walkers. A popular furniture store Wood Junction can be seen on the right side of the photograph, while several tall trees are visible on the left side. The background behind the parents is a mish-mash of hundreds of other walkers, hoardings, traffic lights, and overhead cable wires. The sky above is a clear greyish blue. Photo courtesy Sweekar – The Rainbow Parents

Vartanama Feb '24

Why I walked with the banner of Sweekar

By Mahua Seth

Mahua Seth walked as an ‘out’ parent of a queer child at the ‘20th Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk’ and loved every moment of it

This illustration is a combination of a horizontally oriented photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph shows a daytime mid-range shot of a large duck crossing a forest pathway with six of its ducklings. The parent bird can be seen to the extreme right side of the photograph facing left, while the ducklings are walking ahead of or next to the parent bird. One of the ducklings is ahead of the rest, striding confidently away. The pathway is partially lit up with sunlight, while the rest is under the shadow of trees. The extracted text says: “I want to tell all the parents that your responsibility is to ensure your children are safe and loved. Nothing else. You do not have to decide what career your children should pursue, or who they should love or marry, if at all they want to marry. Your children, queer or not, will find their way through life.”

Insight Jan '24

Taking marriage off the checklist of parental duties

By Mahua Seth

Can we look at parenting with wonder and curiosity instead of compulsively controlling our children’s lives, asks Mahua Seth

Quote: Justice Bhat issued a direction to the State to address the discrimination that trans and queer couples face in relation to social welfare entitlements and employment benefits in cases where such benefits can only be available to legally married couples. Justice Chandrachud spoke about the urgent need for anti-discrimination laws which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and give full effect to all civil and social rights of trans and queer persons. Justice Kaul agreed with him on the need for an anti-discrimination law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Advice - Rights and Laws, Vartanama Oct '23

Anti-discrimination mantra for long and happy trans and queer lives (married or not)

By Namrata

Namrata examines the Supreme Court’s marriage equality verdict and suggests further advocacy and litigation possibilities for queer activists and lawyers – with inputs from Lalit Panda, Senior Resident Fellow (Charkha),...

This illustration is a combination of a photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph shows the author Rituparna Borah participating in the ‘Delhi Queer Pride’ in 2009. She is walking under a mammoth six-coloured rainbow pride flag, holding up the flag with her hands, smiling and looking sideways towards the camera, though not at the camera. The sunlight filtering through the flag is lighting up all the colours. In the background, towards the bottom left edge of the photograph, several other pride walkers can be seen. The accompanying text says: “I am not claiming here that there will be no fights or power dynamics, yet I hope that we can solve our issues not by calling out but with chai, samosas, tears, hugs and then some drinks! I still believe that we can create a reality where intersecting marginalized identities are part and parcel of queer-trans feminism(s), and no one has to prove how marginalized they are to get the rights they deserve.” Photo courtesy Voices Against 377

Commentary Aug '23

In loving memory of discourse

By Rituparna Borah

Rituparna Borah wishes for yesterday once more in debates and dialogues around gender and sexuality – her thoughts for the future on ‘Varta’ webzine completing 10 years

This illustration is a combination of a graphic and an extract from the accompanying article on marriage equality in India. The graphic shows a floral photo frame (orange flowers interspersed with green leaves), but the space for the photo is empty. This is symbolic of the assertion in the article that everyone should be free to fill up this space in the way they find it meaningful – the photo in the frame need not be one of marriage. The extract from the article says: “Of all the petitions on marriage equality being heard by the Supreme Court, the one that stands out is Rituparna Borah & Others Vs. Union of India, which has been filed by four queer-feminist activists and three anonymized couples. The prayers in it go beyond the legal recognition of same sex / same gender marriages. It argues that rather than just rule on the constitutional validity of marriage equality, the court should also grapple with the issue of family diversity as well as protect queer people who face violence from natal families, those who may not want to get married but should be entitled to other rights traditionally emanating from marriage, and those who want to get married, but do not have support from their families.” Graphic credit: OpenClipart on ‘Wikimedia Commons’

Insight, Policy Matters Apr '23

Marriage equality – petitions, pushback and politics

By Namrata, Shreyashi

Namrata and Shreyashi trace the developments in the marriage equality litigation and bring to light issues and claims from queer activists that go beyond marriage equality

Quote: The Internet today is scattered with advice on the importance of friendships. A recent Bumble survey found that many more Indians seek platonic friendships today. Within the terrain of social and legal recognition, proposals have been placed before the Indian State to recognize friendships and other significant relationships outside the natal family in the form of a ‘legal representative’. Something has shifted in the mythological place romance holds in our lives. And while we may not have stopped worshipping at its altar, we are slowly coming to terms with the fact that it may not be the only worthwhile way of pursuing intimacy in the 21st century.

Insight Mar '23

Re-imagining intimacy, re-configuring kinship: Some notes on friendship

By Diksha Sanyal

Diksha Sanyal writes about intimacies and relationships beyond romance in the current Indian context, and invites you to share your thoughts – this is the first in a series of...

Tagged Under: Family Diversity

When I stopped surviving alone

On queer self-determination (part 2)

Pursuing resilience, embracing hope

Notes on hoping taken from teenage queer fiction

Queer allies in need of allies

Queering the family: Tamil Nadu shows the way

Why I walked with the banner of Sweekar

Taking marriage off the checklist of parental duties

Anti-discrimination mantra for long and happy trans and queer lives (married or not)

In loving memory of discourse

Marriage equality – petitions, pushback and politics

Re-imagining intimacy, re-configuring kinship: Some notes on friendship

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