Tag: Trans Feminism | Varta Trust

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 is a horizontally rectangular graphic that shows a banner prepared for a community protest planned against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026 on March 15, 2026 from 5.00 pm at Ranu Chhaya Mancha in Central Kolkata. On a background of blue, pink and white stripes, the colours traditionally associated with transgender rights, the banner headline in bold black says “Transgender Communities Reject Trans Amendment Bill, 2026”. Below the headline are three hashtags ‘gather’, ‘agitate’, and ‘nogoingback’. Below the hashtags, the event date, time and venue are mentioned. A tagline at the bottom says “We are not a diagnosis. Our identities are not up for approval.” On the bottom right corner of the graphic, three fisted hands raised in protest and a red loudspeaker can be seen. Graphic credit: QT* Strategizing Group for Trans Bill 2026

Happenings, Vartanama Mar '26

Transgender communities reject Trans Bill 2026

By QT* Strategizing Group for Trans Bill 2026

Media advisory issued by a network of trans and queer individuals and collectives in West Bengal to oppose the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026

This image is a combination of a still from the 1974 film ‘Lamja Parshuram’ discussed in the accompanying article and text extracted from the article. The black and white still shows Thounaojam Nobin, a Sumang Leela artist, playing the character of a woman. In the still, Nobin, dressed in a shimmering saree and blouse with a necklace and an attractive hairdo, is facing the camera. They are smiling as they speak to another actor, a male character, facing away from the camera and looking at Nobin. The still is sub-titled with text that says: “Don’t you recognise me? Everybody knows me in Manipur.” Below the sub-title text in small print says: “Aribam Syam Sharma Archives”. A caption below the still says: “Thounaojam Nobin in Lamja Parshuram (1974)”. The accompanying text extract says: “It is a common saying among cinemagoers that films are mirrors of the society we live in. By this logic, films should accurately represent the diversity of peoples within our society. Given the significant presence of the queer communities in the state, examining their representation in Manipuri cinema becomes all the more important. This article aims to highlight queer representation in popular Manipuri cinema, tracing its evolution from 1974 to the present day.” Film still credit: Aribam Syam Sharma Archives

Cinemascope, Insight Feb '26

Queer portrayal in popular Manipuri cinema: A journey towards inclusivity

By Daniel Yumkham

Daniel Yumkham feels popular Manipuri cinema is at a crossroads with regard to queer representation

This photograph is a daytime long shot of the ‘Budapest Pride 2025’. Literally, a sea of people dressed in diverse colours, carrying queer pride banners and rainbow umbrellas can be seen approaching and walking across a bridge in the heart of Budapest. The walkers are moving away from the camera, with one or two facing the camera to take photographs. Bright sunlight shines on the walkers as they march past tall buildings on either side of the road, on to the bridge. Dense greenery can be seen on the far side of the bridge forming an imposing green backdrop. Photo credit: European Greens – Andras Mayer, sourced from Wikimedia Commons

Vartanama Dec '25

Power in hope

By Mahua Seth

Mahua Seth on the emergence of queer resilience in response to the setbacks that marked queer lives in 2025 across the world

This mid-range indoor photograph shows the author of this article Kheya Barai and the curator of the ‘Queer Objects 1.0’ exhibition Rishav Thakur standing on either side of the author’s exhibits ‘Breasts 1’ and ‘Breasts 2’ mounted on a wall in a well-lit corner of the exhibition hall. Rishav is leaning casually slightly against the wall. The first exhibit is vertically rectangular in shape and has a black wooden frame. A white cotton vest worn by a trans man is pasted on to a red background. Two flower-shaped 3D objects resembling human breasts are pinned on the chest area of the vest. The objects have been created from crumpled pink crepe bandages used by two trans masculine individuals as binders. The crepe material is marked with silvery glitter. The second exhibit is a mid-sized circular and flat object, dark brown in colour. The brown colour comes from lush embroidery threads. The exhibit has been created from a vest worn by a trans woman pre-gender transition and a crepe bandage used as a binder by a trans man, also pre-gender transition. Two silvery flower-like objects resembling human breasts have been pinned on the chest area of the vest. Photo credit: Bhaskar Jyoti Rabha

Creations, Insight Oct '25

Textured titties

By Kheya Barai

Kheya Barai writes the fourth and last in a series of articles by the artists who participated in the ‘Queer Objects 1.0’ exhibition held in Guwahati in late 2023

This is a mid-range photo that shows the author of the accompanying article performing ‘Chrome’, their live durational performance-installation at the ‘Queer Objects 1.0’ exhibition that took place in Guwahati in late 2023. The author is seated in a brightly lit corner of the exhibition hall. Their face is hidden by a golden ‘mekhela’ garment hanging above them, with only some of their black tresses visible on their right shoulder. The author has pasted ultrasound images of their pelvis and CT scans of their lungs on the garment. They are wearing another golden garment like a wrap-around, with their shoulders and arms bare and their feet also bare, visible from below the wrap. They are holding up a small chrome-plated container in their right hand just a little above their lap. Their left hand rests on their lap. The chair or stool they are seated on is covered with a flowing drape with blue and white floral patterns. To their right, a small round mirror with a patterned wooden frame is placed on the floor, and their footwear is placed just next to the mirror. Also to their right, a curator’s note titled ‘Chrome’ is pasted on the wall, with the name of the author Mwdai. Photo credit: Anubhav Deka

Creations, Insight Aug '25

Objectified

By Mwdai

Mwdai writes the third in a series of articles by the artists who participated in the ‘Queer Objects 1.0’ exhibition held in Guwahati in late 2023

This image is a combination of a photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The mid-range photograph shows filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh smiling, looking at and speaking to someone outside the frame. Other people can be seen in the background, suggesting it to be a public occasion. The filmmaker seems to be seated on a chair. He is wearing spectacles, a head wrap, and a scarf, all black in colour, paired with a grey-brown patterned shirt. The accompanying text says: “For me, Rituparno was a crossing, a journey between borders. Not India, not Bangladesh. Not man, not woman. Not familiar, not foreign. Somewhere in between, a new way of understanding emerged. What connected us wasn’t language or geography, but a shared longing. A shared desire to become.” Photo credit: Bollywood Hungama via ‘Wikimedia Commons’

My Story Jul '25

Rituparno Ghosh: Seen, unseen, and known in my own way

By Tara Asgar

In Rituparno Ghosh and his cinematic work Tara Asgar finds a shared longing to become something beyond binaries

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 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

This graphic shows a poster made for the promotion of the film ‘Don’t Interrupt While We Dance’. On a scarlet red background, the name of the film in large stylized lettering in yellow and white is juxtaposed against the images of a gun and a dancing human figure, arms splayed. Several pairs of angry eyes symbolizing the damning eyes of the State or a repressive society, stare on in the backdrop, behind the lettering. The name of the filmmaker Anureet Watta is mentioned at the bottom of the poster. Poster design by Sharannya Eledath Mukherji and illustration by Yathaarth Yadav

Cinemascope, Insight Sep '24

How can we be gentle if we aren’t very angry?

By Anureet Watta

‘Don’t Interrupt While We Dance’ is a film about queer and trans joy interrupted by the State, police, and shadows of violence and scrutiny that have always been cast on...

This photograph shows a scene from the re-enactment of the skit ‘Koti Ki Atma’ at Café Adda Ghar, Kolkata on November 4, 2023. Three actors are acting out a scene before a small invited audience. The play is being performed in an open but small and intimate part of the café, lit with a few overhead lamps and other sources of light not visible in the photograph. A black cloth background and a few props form the backdrop behind the actors who are facing the camera. Some of the members of the audience visible in the photograph, half a dozen or so (of the total 40-45), are seated close to the actors on plastic chairs, and have a bemused look as they watch the play up close. A video camera can be seen on the left edge of the photograph recording the play. A photographer, with her camera in hand, is also among the audience, standing just next to the people seated. Darkened tall glass panes forming one of the walls of the café can be seen behind her. A poster of the café menu is pasted on one of the glass panes. Photo credit: Suchandragraphy

From the Archives, Insight Jul '24

Remembered sexual futures

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...

This is a close-up daytime photograph of the author Santa Khurai posing for the camera with her companion John Nongmaithem. The author is seated on a chair not visible in the photo and is gazing up at John who is standing behind her and looking back at her. With his left hand, he is caressing the strands of the author’s hair. Santa is wearing a red and white dress, has nude makeup on and kohl-lined eyes. John is dressed in a black shirt with the collars drawn up and a black cap. A white vest is visible behind the shirt partially open at the top. He has dark sunglasses hanging casually from the shirt parting. He has a small black ‘tilak’ on his forehead. Both persons are gazing at each other lovingly. The leaves of a neem tree and the blue sky form the backdrop of the photograph, which has been shot on the terrace of the author’s home. Photo credit: Jessia Takhelmayum

Vartanama Apr '24

Sweet surrender

By Santa Khurai

Santa Khurai writes about a different kind of love story blossoming in the middle of sociopolitical conflict in Manipur

This is an early evening mid-range shot of around 14 trans masculine and other queer persons associated with the Samarth trans collective of Odisha standing behind a large rainbow pride flag during the ‘Puri Rainbow Pride Walk’ held on June 13, 2023. The flag is held at chest level across several of the walkers. Some of them are also holding posters with Odia and English text or small rainbow pride flags. They are all smiles as they look at the camera, and exude happiness. A number of other walk participants can be seen behind them. In the background, to the left, are several buildings, while to the right are some more buildings, a couple of palm trees, and a handful of open sky. Photo courtesy SAATHII

Vartanama Nov '23

Dreams and demands

By Bana, Pawan Dhall

Trans masculine individuals in Odisha are speaking up louder about their aspirations for the future – Bana shares a wish list with ‘Varta’ – hopefully most of it will come...

This photograph shows the author Amrita Sarkar conducting a sensitization session on transgender health with the staff of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi earlier this year. In a conference hall lit brightly with ceiling lights, around 30 AIIMS staff members of different genders are seated in two columns. The author is standing in the aisle between the two columns, and appears to be answering the question of one of the staff members. In the background, the main entrance to the conference room, two curtained windows, and a side door are visible. A camera fixed on a tripod stand is also visible, close to the main entrance. Photo courtesy AIIMS

My Story Oct '23

How my tomorrow should look like

By Amrita Sarkar

A decade into the future, Amrita Sarkar wants the trans and queer movements to focus their energies on mental health and geriatric concerns

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

Tagged Under: Trans Feminism