Tag: Homophobia | Page 2

Quote: In a somewhat predictable turn of events, the ‘apology’ owed to queer Indians and their families is still trying hard to ‘come out’ from the pages of the verdict into day-to-day life – even when the Supreme Court itself is trying to set a progressive example for the rest of the polity to follow. The central government’s unwillingness to accept the Supreme Court’s recommendation for the appointment of advocate Saurabh Kirpal as a judge of the Delhi High Court is a case in point.

Vartanama Jan '23

Decriminalized but not destigmatized

By Pawan Dhall

The central government’s discomfort about queerness in the judiciary throws up many more uncomfortable questions

This is a panel of two daytime photographs placed one above the other. Both photographs are long shots of the lane near the author’s childhood home in Palm Avenue, Kolkata where the cricket match described in the article was played. Both photographs show about 50 feet of a narrow lane lined by two or three-storied houses on both sides, interspersed with small trees and shrubs. Many houses have iron grills and gates on the ground floor. The lane is quite evenly paved, and is just broad enough for two cars to pass side by side. Several cars are parked half on the road, half on the pavement, which exists on only one side of the road. There is little gap between the houses on the lane, which gives a sense of congestion and everything being boxed in. The photographs have been taken from the turning point at either end of the lane. Photo credits: Pawan Dhall

Vartanama Dec '22

When badminton outplaced cricket

By Pawan Dhall

The author recalls winning a cricket match to secure space for playing badminton near his childhood home in Kolkata

The graphic is a symbolic amalgamation of the key issues discussed in the accompanying article. Upfront in the graphic is a flag created for the global mental health movement by The Pete Foundation, Louisville, USA in 2020 in collaboration with mental health organizations / care providers, artists, designers, advocates, and community members in the US and elsewhere. The graphic, a horizontal rectangle, shows arcs of different shades of green and yellow radiating outwards from the lower left corner of the rectangle. It begins with a dark shade of green, followed by lighter ones and finally a yellow band. Green is the colour for mental health awareness, and forms the base of the flag. The design reflects a shift from dark to lighter colours, representing the various states of our emotional or psychological life, and the collective efforts to bring the topic of mental health out of the darkness and into the light. In the background to this flag is the rainbow flag, a popular symbol adopted by the queer rights movements worldwide. The mental health movement flag is superimposed on the rainbow flag such that the second flag provides only a narrow but distinct rainbow-coloured border to the first flag. Overall, the graphic attempts to represent the issue of queer affirmative therapy or queer affirmative counselling practices. Images for both flags sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Insight Dec '22

Well-being through a queer affirmative lens (part 2)

By Dr. Srabasti Majumdar

Srabasti Majumdar explains how queer affirmative therapy takes into account the inter-dependence between mind and body in ensuring well-being for queer people

The graphic shows a flag created for the global mental health movement by The Pete Foundation, Louisville, USA in 2020 in collaboration with several mental health organizations / care providers, artists, designers, advocates, and community members in the US and elsewhere. The graphic, a horizontal rectangle, shows arcs of different shades of green and yellow radiating outwards from the lower left corner of the rectangle. It begins with a dark shade of green, followed by lighter ones and finally a yellow band. Green is the colour for mental health awareness, and forms the base of the flag. The design reflects a shift from dark to lighter colours, representing the various states of our emotional or psychological life, and the collective efforts to bring the topic of mental health out of the darkness and into the light. Image sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Insight Nov '22

Well-being through a queer affirmative lens (part 1)

By Dr. Srabasti Majumdar

Srabasti Majumdar dwells on what queer affirmative therapy means and its significance for the well-being of queer people

This photograph is a close-up shot of the front cover of the book reviewed in the accompanying article. The book titled ‘Amar Bhitor Bahire’ has been written by Kolkata-based queer and HIV activist Jaydip Jana in Bengali. The upper half of the cover has the name of the book and author written in large point size. The text is in white and stands out against a stylistic representation of the rainbow pride flag colours in the background. Below the text is a sideways silhouette of an individual who seems to be sitting down in a contemplative posture with their chin resting on their right hand. A rainbow friendship band adorns their right wrist. A half-filled silver ‘sindur daan’, with the lid off and some ‘sindur’ scattered outside, is juxtaposed against the silhouette. In the photograph, the book itself is placed flat, but at an angle, on a surface covered in an attractive green and white fabric. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Printed Word Nov '22

Ins and outs of a queer memoir

By Jia Mata

Jia Mata reviews Jaydip Jana’s debut book ‘Amar Bhitor Bahire’, a new addition to contemporary queer literature in Bengali

This lead graphic has text that says: “Queer cohabitation requires diverse support systems and services in addition to the protection that the law of the land extends to queer couples. These systems and services must address the socio-cultural barriers that the queer couples are bound to encounter. It’s unlikely that queer cohabitation can succeed just on islands of legal approval surrounded by a sea of family and social disapproval.” The text in black is superimposed on a background that shows a random spread of numerous heart shapes, some interlinked or coupled, others lying single and asunder, in different angles. The heart shapes are in a mix of steel grey, light blue and sea green colours, and form a striking backdrop to the text. Graphic credit: Pawan Dhall (graphic based on Clip Art by Microsoft Office)

Insight Aug '21

In the matter of queer relationships – court approval vs. social disapproval

By Diksha Sanyal

What is life like for Indian queer couples who win court approval of their right to cohabit? An analysis by Diksha Sanyal with inputs from Pawan Dhall

This illustration shows a poster for the documentary film ‘Sab Rab De Bande’ made by first-time filmmaker Sukhdeep Singh. Photographs of three of the five interviewees in the film occupy the centre space in the poster. These interviewees are the filmmaker himself; Ritika, a transgender woman from Delhi; and Amolak, an androgynous gay man from Kanpur. The photographs, placed in a row, are in black and white and in contrast with an artistic blue and peach background. The lower part of the poster shows a graphic silhouette of what seems to be a religious congregation of Sikhs. Two symbols of Sikhism are placed on either side of the silhouette graphic. To the left is the Ek Onkar, which means one supreme reality; to the right is the Khanda, a symbol of Sikhism that is an amalgam of three symbols – ‘khanda’, a double-edged sword in the centre; ‘chakram’, a circular throwing weapon, behind the ‘khanda’; and two ‘kirpans’, single-edged swords placed on either side of the ‘khanda’ and ‘chakram’ and crossed at the bottom. The accompanying text on the poster says: “A film by Sukhdeep Singh – a documentary on LGBTQ Sikhs – Sab Rab De Bande – We’re All God’s Creation”. Poster courtesy Sukhdeep Singh

Cinemascope Jul '21

On being queer and Sikh in India

By Rudrani Rajkumari

‘Sab Rab De Bande’ is an impressive debut film on a sensitive subject by queer activist Sukhdeep Singh, says Shivalal Gautam

Insight Apr '21

Farewell, dear fairy!

By Chintan Girish Modi

Chintan Girish Modi remembers Gaurav Probir Pramanik whose actions ensured that homophobic behaviour at the leadership level in a leading Indian corporate did not go unpunished

This photograph is a striking long shot of the early morning sky taken from the balcony in Mayuri’s home. A major part of this vertical oriented photograph consists of silver-white clouds flecking a blue sky like a carpet right up to the horizon, where a rising sun has painted the sky in hues of orange and pink. A few buildings and trees can be seen in the near distance, somewhat still in the dark, with a number of hills rising behind them in the far distance. The entire scene is one of morning calm symbolizing peace and positivity. Photo credit: Mayuri

Coronavirus Diary, Insight, People Oct '20

Lockdown takeaways: Achieving higher ground

By Rudrani Rajkumari

In this second paired narrative of queer lives during the lockdown in Assam, Shivalal Gautam tells us how two queer women negotiated multiple trials and reached a better place in...

This illustration is a combination of a photograph of Sanjit Mondal, whose story is the subject matter of the accompanying article, and a quote extracted from the article. Sanjit’s photograph has been taken in an outdoor location in the early evening light. Head bent to the right and with his right hand in his crop-topped hair, Sanjit looks into the camera with the hint of a smile. He is dressed casually in a shirt with sleeves rolled up and denim shorts, and has a friendship band on his left wrist. He is seated on the raised edge of a paved pathway. Behind him is a patch of manicured green and two palm trees. A small portion of a pavement with a single pedestrian, a thoroughfare with no traffic, an overhead carriageway for a railway line, and in the distant background some buildings and more trees can also be seen. The accompanying quote says: “Obviously we’ve just got the right to have sex in our own bedroom, which isn’t enough for a human being. Nothing’s really been done for our rights. Only when LGBT people are able to avail of all the basic rights that heterosexual people take for granted in their day-to-day life can one say that yes we’ve got our rights.” Photo courtesy Sanjit Mondal

Coronavirus Diary, People Oct '20

Right to have sex in one’s bedroom not be-all and end-all of LGBTIQA+ rights

By Pradosh Dash

Pradosh Dash chats with political science student Sanjit Mondal who survived a recent queerphobic attack by the Bidhannagar City Police and turned adversity into opportunity