Family

“Only for Families, Madam”: A House for Mrs Kulkarni, Divorcee
An illustration of a woman sitting in an unfurnished house by herself, framed by a window looking out into the night in a city. Around the woman, there are unopened boxes marked ‘FRAGILE’.

The only hitch was that neither the agents nor the landlords who lurked behind those rentable flats were particularly keen on leasing their precious properties to a – what! Divorcee??!! No, no, madam, but this flat is only for families.

By Curated Content
February 15, 2021
“Only for Families, Madam”: A House for Mrs Kulkarni, Divorcee
Years Of Sexual Abuse In A Family, The Collective Angst, And A Final Closure: This Is My Story
A series of pink and green placards that read 'Teach Safe Touch'

This post is part of TARSHI’s #TalkSexuality campaign on Comprehensive Sexuality Education in collaboration with Youth Ki Awaaz. The author chose to remain anonymous. Last year…

By Curated Content
February 19, 2015
Years Of Sexual Abuse In A Family, The Collective Angst, And A Final Closure: This Is My Story
Why Don’t Indian Families Say “I Love You”?
A drawing of four people in a red background. Behind them are drawings of buildings and clouds. The four faces have different expressions on them- two can be seen smiling, the third person has a neutral expression and the fourth person has a sad expression. Three hearts are also drawn on the first, second and the fourth person.

Indian families rarely say “I love you” to each other. Maybe it is an extension of the fact that parents are awkward while displaying any sign of affection to each other around their kids or elders.

By Curated Content
April 19, 2021
Why Don’t Indian Families Say “I Love You”?
Who would we be if we weren’t trying to survive? A Conversation on the Survival Myth
A photograph of a bench on a rocky-slightly bushy terrain. The bench is facing the other direction, which stretches out into wilderness. The sky in tinged with purple, blue, yellow, and pink.

What does it mean to hold space and extend compassion to ourselves and our  communities? Rachel Cargle reminds us to ask ourselves: who  would we be if we weren’t trying to survive? Similarly, what would care and vulnerability look like if we weren’t trying to survive? The anarchy of queerness constantly and necessarily resists the capitalist engineering of the Survival Myth: one that wants us to endure an isolated life instead of embracing it with the radically transformative joy of togetherness. Caring for yourself precedes, succeeds, and exists alongside caring for the collective.

By Rukmini and Soumya
July 19, 2021
Who would we be if we weren’t trying to survive? A Conversation on the Survival Myth
When the infinite was not enough!
Deepika Padukone wearing a black dress facing a mirror
May 1, 2015
When the infinite was not enough!
What Polyamory is and what it could be
A multi-coloured kite with multiple tails flying against a deep blue sky

Practicing polyamory comes with the struggle of breaking down value systems and non-acceptance that may lead to ostracism not only from the heterosexual world but also from the queer and trans community. Claiming oneself as queer depends not only on how one identifies, but also, in society’s eyes, on who one’s partner is; being single does not qualify and neither does being polyamorous as the latter is considered ‘non-serious’.

By Abhiti Gupta
February 15, 2022
What Polyamory is and what it could be
Video: It’s OK Pammi!
A screenshot of the video. On the left side is an image of the mother, and on the right, the words- It’s Okay in white font colour are visible

The film begins with the mother’s dilemma around her daughter’s refusal to be ‘normal’ and marry a ‘decent boy’. As the story unfolds, we see the mother invite a ‘suitable boy’ for dinner on the same evening as the daughter’s partner is coming home to meet the family.

By Curated Content
November 2, 2020
Video: It’s OK Pammi!
Video: Friendship & Vulnerability
Poster image of the video ‘Friendship and Vulnerability’. Drawing of two people eating ice cream can be seen in the image. On the left side is written Friendship and Vulnerability in capital letters

We are often told to speak to ourselves as we would to a friend, gently and lovingly. At the heart of friendship is vulnerability – a radical acceptance of oneself and another for who we truly are, the glowing and beautiful, as well as the dark and crooked.

By Curated Content
April 5, 2021
Video: Friendship & Vulnerability
Video Page: Of Marriageable Age
Picture of Priyam Redican standing in front of a mic. She is wearing a black top and has short shoulder-length hair
January 4, 2016
Video Page: Of Marriageable Age
Video Page: Baby Steps
Screengrab from "Baby Steps", a gay couple sit together in front of a laptop in an intimate pose

In the short film, Baby Steps, a seemingly mundane Skype conversation between a mother and son turns into something more.

By Curated Content
September 4, 2018
Video Page: Baby Steps
Video Page: A Satirical Sitcom on Marital Rape
A Satirical Sitcom on Marital Rape

In times of trouble, when all members of the family come together, there’s nothing that cannot be solved by an Indian family, including marital rape. Take a look at this satirical sitcom.

By Curated Content
March 15, 2017
Video Page: A Satirical Sitcom on Marital Rape
Tomboy Femininity
A photograph of the author, Di Sands

When I finally came out to myself at age 16 and made it to a free queer youth space, I couldn’t wait to be accepted among folks who didn’t play by society’s heterosexist rules of masculine and feminine as polar opposites.

By Di Sands
December 1, 2020
Tomboy Femininity
To Recognize Friendship is to Hear the Unspoken
Illustration of multiple figures interjoined with each other

Paromita Vohra is a film-maker and writer whose work focuses on desire, feminism and popular culture. This article was originally…

By Curated Content
May 15, 2015
To Recognize Friendship is to Hear the Unspoken
The Risks and Gains of Coming In
An illustration of a woman walking on an empty street at night, with a backpack from which a crescent moon and stars are emerging.

I had risked so much already, not just by loving another woman, but by acting on my desires. By allowing myself to feel intimacy and connection with another queer person. Despite feeling guilt and shame, this risk had become increasingly vital to take.

By Sweta
October 15, 2020
The Risks and Gains of Coming In
The importance of family
A black and white photograph of an infant’s hand resting on an older individual’s outstretched palm.

Family, immediate and extended, is usually who you turn to. They are the ones who provide stress relief and reduce anxiety by boosting self-confidence and self-esteem and providing a protective shield. There is a sense of belongingness in good times and in bad.

By ElsaMarie D'Silva
November 2, 2020
The importance of family
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