Tag: Privileges | Varta Trust

This is a horizontally rectangular image with text extracted from the accompanying article printed in bold black on a bright yellow background. The extract says: “As the ‘Mahad Satyagraha’ enters its centenary celebrations, it is more important than ever to question our origin stories of mainstream articulations of queerness. Not necessarily to doubt or question the intentions of senior activists, but to expand our imagination beyond queer exceptionalism. After all, how do we separate the stigma of sexuality from the violence of caste? And silence or obfuscation of history is also violence, no less than non-acknowledgment or denial of queerness.” The significance of the colour yellow can be understood from the accompanying article.

Repetition with a difference / A what if origin story

By Sayan Bhattacharya

Can we reimagine the annual celebrations of queer pride beyond sexual stigma and instead draw inspiration from the history of anti-caste movements, asks Sayan Bhattacharya

This is a daytime mid-range shot of the author holding a handwritten poster at a public protest organized at Jantar Mantar, Delhi on March 29, 2026 against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026. The author is standing facing the camera. In bold and colourful letters on a white background, the poster headline says “Viksit Bharat, Transphobic Bharat” with the first two words distinctly crossed out. Next to the headline, there is more text that says, “#Reject Trans Bill 2026” and “#NoGoingBack”. All around the author, there is a large crowd of protestors numbering at least 100. Further into the background, a stage has been erected for protest speeches, with a long protest banner forming the backdrop. Tall trees provide shelter for the protestors against the strong sun. Photo credit: Professor Harikarthik Ramesh

Vartanama Apr '26

What are rights without the right to self-identify one’s gender?

By Sudhasri Yadavalli

Sudhasri Yadavalli analyses the systemic harms likely to result from the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026

In this night-time long shot photograph, a large group of protesters are gathered at Ranu Chhaya Mancha in Central Kolkata on March 15, 2026 to protest the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026. Some of them are standing on a platform holding a long horizontal banner that reads: "We are not a diagnosis. We reject Trans Bill 2026". The banner text is printed in bold capitalized letters on a black background. Several hashtags like #Rage and #Rise are printed below the text, and thought blurbs in Bengali like “Dhikkar”, “Parichay” and “Ladai” are scattered on both sides of the text on the banner. Several other protestors hold placards and posters related to transgender rights, and stand below the platform, facing a central speaking area. The slogans on the posters and placards say “We Reject Trans Bill 2026” and “Self-identity Is My Right”. Some individuals appear to be listening attentively to speeches being made in the speaking area, while others converse among themselves. A large soundbox can be seen placed next to the platform. The atmosphere suggests an organized demonstration. Several tall trees and a lamppost juxtaposed against the night sky form the backdrop. Photo credit: Meghjit Sengupta

Insight Mar '26

Recognition, struggle and politics of dignity

By Ayushman Roy, Meghjit Sengupta, Surjo Pramanik

The amended trans rights law is all about social injustice and disempowerment – Ayushman Roy, Meghjit Sengupta and Surjo Pramanik report on the recent protests against the law in Kolkata

This image is a combination of a screengrab from ‘Wikipedia’ and text extracted from the accompanying article. The screengrab shows a sample of Bengali Braille alphabets as used in print in both India and Bangladesh. All the vowel alphabets and some of the consonant alphabets can be seen in the image displayed in four rows. In each row, the alphabets used by people with vision are presented in a sub-row on top, while the Braille version of each alphabet is provided below in a second sub-row. The extracted text says: “These hurdles deepen the already familiar link between poverty and disability in South Asia. Many visually disabled users rely entirely on limited mobile data, making the conversion of image PDFs an exhausting, sometimes impossible task. Students are particularly affected. A visually disabled undergraduate at Jadavpur University, educated in Bengali, told me she often has to depend on human readers for class materials. Her peers in English-medium programmes can download accessible texts immediately, while she faces a long and anxious wait.” Source: ‘Wikipedia’

Insight Jan '26

How language barriers create a privileged hierarchy for India’s disabled

By Dr. Ishan Chakraborty

With World Braille Day just gone past, Dr. Ishan Chakraborty highlights the challenges faced by Bengali-speaking visually disabled people in accessing digital content in their tongue

This illustration is a combination of a daytime indoor photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph is a mid-range shot of a flooded landing of a small apartment building in Kolkata. The photograph has been taken from higher up on the stairs, with the banister on the left side of the stairs and a wall on the right side. Translucent brown water lit up by a tube light floods the landing up to the first step and the elevator shaft. The elevator gate is shut and the elevator itself has been switched off and stationed on a higher floor. A partially submerged bicycle stands at the bottom of the stairs. A grilled gate leading out of the landing is closed. The accompanying text says: “The elderly and the disabled who must live on the ground floor saw their rooms flooding, while those who live on the upper floors, found the elevators not working. I wonder how people with mobility issues would have managed, but the media outlets did not find it fit to cover these concerns. Instead, they showed visuals of Durga Puja pandals affected by the waters.” Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Vartanama Sep '25

Flood of despair and indifference

By Shampa Sengupta

Shampa Sengupta writes about what the recent flooding in Kolkata meant for people with disabilities and the all-round disregard for their concerns

Quote: I am reminded of my training days where queerphobia, casteism, and ableism were so rampant that it was hard for me to gulp it down day after day and pretend as if there was nothing wrong. At this time, there was no singular event to signify the change I experienced. But it was life-changing for me in the sense that I stopped looking at the training curriculum as unbiased. I could zoom out and look at the curriculum critically, which is often difficult as we remain strongly enmeshed within the training system.

Commentary, Insight Sep '25

On queer self-determination (part 3)

By Meera, Aritra C.

Mental health professionals Meera Dhebar and Aritra C. continue their conversation on queer worldmaking across time periods and cultures

This photograph shows a long-shot of an evening sky taken from the window of the south-western corner room that the author occupies in his new home on the third floor of a building. The sky outside is a deepening blue-velvet, with some clouds in the horizon tinged with the light pink and orange of a setting sun not visible in the photograph. A silhouetted pine tree occupies centre stage against the sky, with more trees and the upper floors and rooftops of buildings in the neighbourhood visible in the background. Some of the buildings are silhouetted against the sky, while one of them has windows lit from inside. In the foreground are the awning and the horizontal railings of the author’s window. The railings are placed quite wide apart and add to the drama of the view rather than interrupt it. The photograph conveys a sense of evening calm before the darkness takes over. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

Vartanama Jun '25

‘Kalbaisakhi’ and the crow

By Pawan Dhall

Pawan Dhall on the views and viewpoints he has come across and dwelt on since he moved to a new residential address a year ago

This indoor mid-range photograph shows drag artiste Ahon Gooptu acting out a scene from the show ‘Item’. The performance space is a room painted white, with wooden furniture, a door and two windows polished brown; the room has a tiled floor and a high ceiling with beams running criss-cross. The room has a blue and white, staid ambient light. A lightly bearded and moustachioed Ahon is dressed in a light-coloured saree, full-sleeved blouse, light jewellery on his neck, wrists, fingers, and ears, and designer footwear; his shoulder-length hair is curly and untied. Ahon is seated at a wooden table, one leg over the other. The table top is cluttered with a table lamp illuminating the wall next to it, a painted flower vase with artificial flowers, a small wooden case, a couple of Japanese hand fans, and four sets of blingy goggles. Ahon has a pensive, far-off look as he mouths some dialogues. A few greeting cards and cutouts are pasted on the wall next to the table. One of them, with rainbow hues, says “Fab Yule Us”, while another says “You’re a cut above the rest.” A little distance behind Ahon is a full-length, wooden-framed mirror placed in a corner against the wall. Two windows, their shutters closed, can be seen on the walls next to the mirror. A pink dupatta and a blanket with two shades of green hang from a beam on the ceiling adding to the colourful but restrained ambience. Photo credit: Abhilasha Das

Insight, Vartanama Apr '25

Zenia, ‘Item’ and the future of the (western) queer dream

By Mihir Seth

Mihir Seth fears the dream of being oneself is crumbling as queer and transgender rights face setbacks globally

Quote: News channels air yoga shows to promote positivity. Harness your inner potential, says your favourite superstar. Universities are asked to present the shining glorious history of the nation state to inculcate positivity about the country. Health gurus ask you to consume avocado and chia seeds and quinoa for unleashing your inner efficient innovator. Therapy speak has become commonsensical. The joke goes I am ready to date you if you can pay for my therapy post our breakup. The catalogue is never ending, but scratch the surface only slightly and the edifice falls apart like your nearest shining airport or the Parliament.

Vartanama Jul '24

On the compulsion to be happy

By Sayan Bhattacharya

Amidst the unending stream of ‘happiness’ being thrust on us from every quarter, Sayan Bhattacharya strikes a necessary discordant note

Cinemascope, Vartanama Sep '23

Celebrating the queer gaze in Hindi cinema

By Debjyoti Ghosh

As ‘Varta’ turned 10 on August 1, 2023, Debjyoti Ghosh caught up with pioneering filmmaker Onir for a chat on his vision for queer empowerment in Hindi cinema and beyond

Quote: Somewhere amid all these positives, I also expect queer people with disabilities to be more visible, do well in life, and not be silenced in both queer and disability communities. Homophobic, transphobic and ableist people will still be around, but they may well be pushed to the fringes. A decade hence we may sit down and compare the predictions made by various authors on the pages of Varta and calculate the percentage of those that have come true.

My Story Aug '23

Cautious predictions for 2033 CE

By Rajib Chakrabarti

On ‘Varta’ webzine completing 10 years, Rajib Chakrabarti writes about the changes he expects to see for queer people and persons with disabilities a decade from now

This is a close-up indoor shot of a pile of six mid-sized ‘motichoor’ laddus placed on parchment paper on a black plate. The gorgeous and mouthwatering orange colour of the laddus is marked with specs of green, red and white condiments. The background of the photograph is blurred to enhance the appeal of the laddus. Main photo credit: Priyam1307 via ‘Wikimedia Commons’

Vartanama Apr '23

All this marriage (equality) talk!

By Pawan Dhall

Pawan Dhall has something to say to argumentative Indians who’ve been bickering over who can have the marriage laddu and who can have only the laddu

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...

Printed Word, Vartanama Feb '23

In search of an ideal world, or at least a better one

By Pawan Dhall

Sharif D. Rangnekar’s new book 'Queersapien' takes you through a self-reflective account across countries, cultures and issues

This photograph is an early evening-time long shot of a spectacular view of the north-western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. It shows a vast expanse of blue and placid sea water leading up to a number of icebergs and partially snow-covered mountains stretching across the horizon. The light of the setting sun has turned the white of the icebergs and snow on the mountains into a striking gold that contrasts sharply with the deep blue of the sea. Above the mountains, grey-pink clouds adorn a greyish sky. We stand to lose the incredible beauty and serenity of innumerable such scenes because of global warming and the resultant melting of the polar caps. Photo credit: Murray Foubister via Wikimedia Commons

Poetry Feb '23

The polar caps

By Rajib Chakrabarti

Rajib Chakrabarti is cautiously hopeful about our planet’s future

Tagged Under: Privileges

Repetition with a difference / A what if origin story

What are rights without the right to self-identify one’s gender?

Recognition, struggle and politics of dignity

How language barriers create a privileged hierarchy for India’s disabled

Flood of despair and indifference

On queer self-determination (part 3)

‘Kalbaisakhi’ and the crow

Zenia, ‘Item’ and the future of the (western) queer dream

On the compulsion to be happy

Celebrating the queer gaze in Hindi cinema

Cautious predictions for 2033 CE

All this marriage (equality) talk!

Marriage equality – petitions, pushback and politics

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

In search of an ideal world, or at least a better one

The polar caps

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