On the right to one’s body and desires
By Pompi Banerjee
How sex workers navigate kinky desire and consent in their work was among the central themes of ‘Kink Con 2024’, writes Pompi Banerjee
By Pompi Banerjee
How sex workers navigate kinky desire and consent in their work was among the central themes of ‘Kink Con 2024’, writes Pompi Banerjee
By Diksha Sanyal
Diksha Sanyal summarizes a study on the art and cultural advocacies undertaken by queer community groups in West Bengal in the 1990s and 2000s. The study has been co-developed by...
By Dhamini Ratnam
The struggle for equal rights must be a collaborative one – Dhamini Ratnam dwells on this lesson from the past reflected in the queer archives maintained by Varta Trust
By Pawan Dhall
Sharif D. Rangnekar’s new book 'Queersapien' takes you through a self-reflective account across countries, cultures and issues
By Namrata, Shreyashi
Namrata and Shreyashi on the problem areas in the latest version of the anti-trafficking Bill – with inputs from Archit Krishna and Kaushik Gupta
By Namrata
Namrata reminds us to take our blinkers off for Pride Month observations
By Dr. Kaustav Bakshi
Dr. Kaustav Bakshi reviews social researcher Niloy Basu’s new book ‘Launda Dancer: Anyo Hijrer Bhinna Bhuban’, an important addition to queer literature in Bengali
By Sudipa Chakraborty
Sudipa Chakraborty narrates the story of a gigolo in Kolkata – before and during the coronavirus lockdown
By Pawan Dhall
Pawan Dhall shares some lockdown revelations
By Sukanta Banerjee
Sukanta Banerjee reports on how Amphan has aggravated the socioeconomic vulnerabilities of many trans women in West Bengal and what immediate mitigation support they need
By Pawan Dhall, Soma Roy Karmakar
'Varta' brings you the next series of articles under the ‘Queer Kolkata Oral History Project’
By Pompi Banerjee, Siddhartha Sankar
Sex work or prostitution – what’s the difference? Decriminalization or legalization of sex work – same thing, right? Human trafficking and sex work (or prostitution) – is it at all...
By Aakash
It was a rainy evening in Delhi – the drizzle increased the slight chill of the early October air. My mind, after the daylong torture of multiple meetings, difficult conversations,...