The I Column
An (A)sexual Awakening
I had my sexual awakening in college. Or rather, the realisation that I would never have a ‘sexual awakening’ hit…
By Kavya Kartik
February 1, 2016
An open letter to a former friend
(Tread gently. This article contains material on sexual assault) Dear A, I don’t know why I’m writing this. Maybe it…
By K F
June 15, 2020
An Unsteadiness of Self: Marriage and Immigration in Authoritarian Times
When recently reading about the spouses of H1-B ‘skilled guest worker’ visa holders, certain themes resonate with me. These women discuss how it was not just their CVs that suffered from the forced career break – until 2015, spouses on restrictive H-4 paperwork were forbidden from pursuing employment in the U.S. – but that their core sense of self took a hit.
By Kristin Francoeur
And He Said, ‘I Love You, Masti’
One morning at the programme, I found he was ignoring me. I was also busy with my assigned work so I was not able to follow up with him until the break. During the break, he came and sat next to me, came closer and suddenly kissed me on the cheek.
By Smriti Dhingra
June 5, 2016
Are they people or just a number?
You see, numbers are tricky, data is tricky. More importantly, data is dehumanising. Add sexuality and intimacy to this and the waters get even murkier. Maybe it’s good to leave a few things unaffected by too much data. Maybe we do not want to talk about data and sexuality. Maybe we instead want to talk about why data around gender and sexuality must not be recorded, and instead, maybe focus on why we should honour every kind of sexual preference which is within the purview of the safe and consensual.
By Asmi
May 15, 2021
Barabar Kha: Recipes of Transition
Through the rituals of cooking, prayers and sharing our complaints of menstruating, we came together to give space and hold space for each other.
By Afshan Mariam
July 5, 2023
BDSM Play – Performance and Beyond
Just like sex can be happy, sad, awkward, angry and so many other emotions, rather than the mere act of pounding, so is BDSM.
By Asmi
September 4, 2018
Beauty Lies in Contradictions
I have been the overprotective patriarch and now it is time for me to find solidarity with my sister who will go through myriad experiences. I need to be there to support her while at the same time make her question her decisions rather than being a judgmental feminist.
By Shivani Gupta
October 1, 2018
Being Funny and Also Politically Correct: Is That a Paradox?
I was involved in creating a social media presence for TARSHI that was rights-based and pleasure-affirming. It was not always…
By Tanisha Chadha
January 4, 2016
Being Thin… Being Me
Which one of these is the right question to ask myself: When was the first time I realised I was thin? Or, when was the first time I was made to realise I was ‘different’ and there was something wrong with me that needed to be fixed? Or, when was the first time I defined myself as a thin person and was comfortable being so?
By Ekta Oza
May 1, 2014
BEING THIN… BEING ME
Which one of these is the right question to ask myself: When was the first time I realised I was…
By Ekta Oza
December 1, 2014
Blood On Our Skirts
[slideshow_deploy id=’6158′] I remember the first time I learnt of menstruation as a ten year old. One of our friends…
By Shambhawi Vikram
June 17, 2015
Burnout, Boundaries, and Better Self-Care
My self-care journey has only just begun and I have a long way to go. I do have bouts of self-doubt, anxiety, and panic, and I still go through periods of feeling overwhelmed. However, more than anything, I have learnt that self-care, for me, is a subversive act, and caring for myself gives me the strength to challenge the status quo and play my part in social justice movements.
By Devika
July 19, 2021
Camouflage
I cannot let anyone see the stretch marks, the cellulite, the saggy breasts. I cannot reveal my hideous body. I feel anxiety well up inside me even as I visualise this eventuality. I read about ten ways for a fat person to have meaningful sex. I learn that throwing a cloth over the bedside lamp will help hide my flaws.
By Sharada Vinod
August 2, 2021
Coming Out as a Kinkster in Public
Will I write openly about what is or is not done, what is or is not meaningful when it comes to sexuality? Yes. Will I talk about BDSM and kink as a way of life, despite it being taboo for discussion? Yes, I will talk about BDSM and kink, and many other things as well, but I will not evangelise for them.
By Asmi
April 1, 2019