Anthology Issue Jan 2023 Archives • In Plainspeak

Anthology Issue Jan 2023

Date Name

Desc Asc

the sun shines behind a row of green hills. a winding road, brown in colour, passes through the hills.

Happy New Year! We have curated this anthology to remind you and ourselves of the gift and wonder of possibilities.

By TARSHI

January 3, 2023

Editorial – Anthology Issue

An abstractly painted image with magenta and blue and splashes of red, yellow, and black colour. In the background, two brown-black silhouettes.

To chase down our own vulnerabilities around sexuality is a short run around the corner, five minutes ago, last night sleeping alone, with a lover, a partner who lost interest, the Insta post that leaves you feeling you’re not good enough for the hug, the kiss, the cuddle and are you perhaps the A of LGBTQIA+?

By Shikha Aleya

January 3, 2023

Issue in Focus: The Heart of Being

A photograph of MHI director Raj Mariwala; she is playing with a grey-brown dog, squatting in grass.

Self-care is influenced by the environment we inhabit, the way we relate to others, the way we negotiate with other living beings or structures. Self-care is also interlinked with other types of care – whether that is in community resources, psychosocial support, engagement with medical and health care institutions, and of course in collective agency and solidarity.

By Shikha Aleya

January 3, 2023

Interview – Raj Mariwala

A black-and-white photo of a hand resting by an elbow, holding a cigarette. The nails are painted in a dark solid colour.

She turns towards me when I speak, and I can feel her eyes thinking over my words, sensitive to any hint of criticism. Her thighs slide against mine, and for a moment we are both distracted by the naked coolness of our bodies. For a moment, we look at each other.

By Sami S

January 3, 2023

Unscripted

You see, you are being pushed and pulled in all directions because people around you, whether family, friends or the larger society, expect you to behave in a particular fashion and stick to existing norms. However, your inner voice is telling you to challenge these norms and follow your own path.

By Elsa Marie D'Silva

January 3, 2023

A Letter To My 16-Year-Old Self

A posterised image of a woman walking down a supermarket isle with a bag slung over

“Large will not fit you.” / She is scoping me, up and down, eyes / Flicking fast and darting away…“Try extra-large instead.”

By Damini Kulkarni

January 3, 2023

Extra Large

Cinema’s Unintentional Counter-Narrative on Marriage

Review: Cinema’s Unintentional Counter-narrative on Marriage

Reviewing three films (or the subplots of three films) to see how subplots show that marriage isn’t a destination or a single story that begins and ends in the ‘happily ever after’.

By Shweta Krishnan

January 3, 2023

Cinema’s Unintentional Counter-Narrative on Marriage

An illustration of stage-curtains in bright color.

Wesley D’Souza recounts the time his school put up a production of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, his preparations for its audition, and how the process was intertwined with an exploration and acceptance of his sexuality.

By Wesley D'Souza

January 3, 2023

Acting Like Myself