Tag: Varta 10 Years | Varta Trust

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 illustration is a square-shaped collage created from scraps of magazine articles and photographs. Two post boxes, one in red and black, and another in red, peach and black colours, are superimposed on a background created by images of flowering shrubs in gardens, tall trees, and cotton white clouds in a blue sky. The post boxes seem to be floating in mid-air, perhaps conveying a sense of lightness of being. Scattered, random text can be seen on the post boxes. Someone is standing right behind the all-red post box; just their arms visible on the sides of the post box, which seems to have become part of their persona. Artwork credit: Tanvir

My Story Nov '23

Imagining queer futures in letters

By Tanvir

Tanvir on the role played by letters and the emotions contained in them (or attached to them) in queer community building

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 a midrange, semi silhouette shot of the author standing barefoot on a sea beach during sunrise. She has her back to the camera, looking out at the open sea. The sea water laps at her feet. Barring a small wave at some distance from the author, the surface of the sea is a calm golden, reflecting the light of the sun still low on the horizon. The sea water seems to extend indefinitely and one cannot make out where it merges with the sky. The accompanying text says: “Despite everything, I’m hopeful about the upcoming 10 years. Our community is resilient and deeply engaged in the resistance against oppression. In 10 years from now, we may yet be able to have better queer representation at the government level. We may yet succeed in pushing gender and sexuality education at the school level, and gain horizontal reservation for the trans community in the spheres of education and employment. I believe that the process of queer inclusion will be gradual but it can’t be stopped or reversed.” Photo courtesy Meghna Mehra

Commentary Oct '23

Wishlist for queer pride and asexual visibility

By Meghna Mehra

Meghna Mehra believes that the future will be queer, along with freer expressions of asexuality becoming a reality in India and elsewhere in the next 10 years

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

This photographic collage shows close-up glimpses from the archival records maintained by Varta Trust on the sociolegal campaigns against Section 377, Indian Penal Code since the early 1990s. Portions of a couple of pages from the 172nd report of the Law Commission of India on a review of the rape laws published in March 2000 can be seen in the collage. The title page of the report is presented inside an oval shaped inset. The State Emblem of India, an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, is visible on the top of one of the pages in the collage. The pages are presented in a stylized manner, with only a portion of the text on the pages visible to the reader. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall

From the Archives Sep '23

Conversations between movements, collaborations across identities, 10 years on

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

This illustration is a combination of a photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph is of a large blackboard with a light brown wooden frame. At the lower edge of the blackboard, the wooden frame has a ledge on which some chalk and a duster are placed. Text extracted from the accompanying article has been placed on the blackboard image in a typeface to simulate the image of text written with white chalk on a blackboard. The text says: “What can discussions on sexuality in a classroom do? I believe that when we confront sexual difference in the classroom, we learn to understand and respect diversity. Queer perspectives and narratives of pride and suffering open a space not just for acceptance but critical self-understanding. Queer lives are so precarious that even a space bound by a timetable can be liberating. Being acknowledged and validated in a classroom may engender a hope to survive outside it, and sometimes, it is survival that is at stake.” Blackboard image courtesy Cliparts.co via ‘Wikimedia Commons’

Insight, Vartanama Aug '23

For that sliver of hope

By Zaid Al Baset

Making educational institutions inclusive spaces for everyone is an uphill battle, but Zaid Al Baset is not giving up yet – his forecasts on inclusion as ‘Varta’ completes 10 years

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 photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph, a daytime selfie shot, shows the author Mahua Seth with her son Mihir Seth on a holiday trip. Mother and son, both bespectacled, are all smiles as they look into the camera. Behind them is a sweeping expanse of mountains marked with patches of vegetation, reflecting the bright sunlight. The sky above is a hazy blue marked with cotton white clouds. The accompanying text says: “It became clear to me that we need to build more awareness across every section of society. The Nigerian Igbo communities got it right when they said “It takes a village to raise a child.” We need to work with the parents, of course, but also the uncles, aunts, teachers, coaches, colleagues and neighbours. Photo credit: Mahua Seth

My Story Aug '23

Building a better future with safe spaces, empathy and hugs

By Mahua Seth

As ‘Varta’ webzine turns 10, Mahua Seth imagines a more caring and affirming future, not just for queer people but also their parents and families

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

Vartanama Jul '23

Tensions of the past and future

By Pawan Dhall

An imperfect digest of ‘Varta’ webzine’s journey through a decade of climaxes, anti-climaxes, and explorations for a social G-spot

Tagged Under: Varta 10 Years

Dreams and demands

Imagining queer futures in letters

How my tomorrow should look like

Wishlist for queer pride and asexual visibility

Celebrating the queer gaze in Hindi cinema

Conversations between movements, collaborations across identities, 10 years on

For that sliver of hope

In loving memory of discourse

Building a better future with safe spaces, empathy and hugs

Cautious predictions for 2033 CE

Tensions of the past and future

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