India
An ode to kimam wali raat: The erotic adventures of paan in Indian history
Paan is not only the bearer of stories but a medium through which these stories were told. And each ingredient that goes into the making of a paan has its own narrative.
By Annika Amber
Breaking new ground: Maja Ma’s portrayal of queerness in a traditional Indian family
This reconciliation between Pallavi’s public (seemingly) heterosexual and closeted lesbian identities points to a distinctly Indian way of avoiding polarities through a new social arrangement where both identities are allowed the space to flourish.
By Juhi Sidharth and Chaitanya Ravi
Brushstrokes: Who We’re Leaving Out of Sex Positivity – And How to Make It More Inclusive
Everyday Feminism’s comic illustrates the complexity and diversity of sexuality, revealing how sex can sometimes be pleasure-affirming and sometimes not, and asks us to talk about ALL KINDS of sex – the good, the bad, and the hilarious.
By Curated Content
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
Can’t We Anticipate Stonewall?
If your one step – addressed to everyone irrespective of caste, class, gender, religion, and sexuality – is a giant leap for marginalised and oppressed people, Stonewall will not be far behind.
By Anupom Kumar Hazarika
July 2, 2018
Despite all odds
In the spirit of the Games, I watched the Netflix film Rising Phoenix which documents the history of the Paralympics and its impact on the world in making visible the topic of disability. It also tracks the personal and professional journey of some of the top Paralympic athletes who share their challenges, frustrations and motivations.
By ElsaMarie D'Silva
August 2, 2021
Editorial: Dating and Sexuality
Searching for and then finding and connecting with others, dating, and then possibly, romancing them, are activities and experiences that…
By TARSHI
May 15, 2020
Editorial: Disability and Sexuality
Both sexuality and disability are complex terrains, offering a realm of possibilities that are often made unnecessarily complicated and unattainable by the mental maps we draw of them and the artificial barriers we erect.
By TARSHI
August 16, 2021
Four Indian Hindu-Muslim Couples Across Four Generations Tell Us How Love Is A Fight They Didn’t Give Up On
We spoke to four Hindu-Muslim couples from four generations to learn how to keep love afloat in this climate of naked hatred.
By Curated Content
How Lesbians in India Redefine the Idea of Community
I have always loved the Internet. Its potential to provide information and connect people has always amazed and enthralled me. Hence, I decided to look at how queer women in India, lesbian and bisexual women in particular, use the Internet to meet other queer women. I looked at three dating sites in particular, PinkSofa, OKCupid and Mingle2, apart from the usual social media sites.
By Smita Vanniyar
February 18, 2016
How Pakistani and Indian Women in Three Countries Confront Marital Economic Abuse
From not being allowed to work to having their earnings exploited, many women confront economic abuse, a recognised form of domestic abuse.
By Curated Content
I Spent a Year in India and I Looked Ridiculous!
Despite the intervention of many well-meaning aunties and friends over cups of chai, I don’t think I was aware of how truly strange, let’s even say ridiculous, I looked at the time. Because although I was wearing kurtis nearly every day, I didn’t really understand the ‘rules’ of wearing kurtis.
By Annie McCarthy
August 2, 2016
Interview – Srinidhi Raghavan
Disabled people might not have many spaces where they can speak openly about their sexual experiences or even sexual curiosity. There is a heavy monitoring of disabled young people especially, and this can mean that exploration, which is often how many of us discover sexuality, can be limited. Moreover, since the experiences of disabled people are not seen in popular media such as films, we can (and probably do) imagine we will have the same or similar experiences as non-disabled people – which is often not possible.
By Shikha Aleya
August 2, 2021
Locked Down in the Time of COVID-19: Safety and Self-Care for Queer and Trans Persons
By Orinam Apr 13 2020 Post comment To the reader: we recognize that the English-language content below may not be…
By Curated Content
Making Abortion Safer
India has a very liberal abortion law on paper. Compared with global standards, the Indian law that governs abortions, the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, allows for abortion for a broad range of indications, making it a very progressive law that has been around for more than four decades. But how many of us really know this?
By Medha Gandhi
April 1, 2014