Tag: india gay rights
Queer teen dies by suicide after relentless online attacks
An Indian makeup artist has died by suspected suicide at just 16 after being subjected to relentless attacks online, leading an activist group to call on Meta to crackdown on cyber bullying. Queer makeup artist, Pranshu, who lived in Divine City, Ujjain, was found dead by his mother on November 21. Police are now investigating,… Read more »
LGBTQ+: India’s first Pride march which made history
Pride parades in India today are vibrant affairs, where thousands gather to express themselves and offer support to the queer community. But things were very different in 1999, when the country’s first Pride walk was organised in the eastern state of West Bengal. Journalist Sandip Roy revisits the trailblazing event. On 2 July 1999, Pawan… Read more »
Second thoughts on homosexuality
In his own way, Pope Francis has changed the conversation One of the side effects of democracy is that everyone wants to have his — or her — say. And this is not just in the political life with the right to vote, but in other areas too. In earlier times, a hegemonistic majority might… Read more »
Police bust two ‘gay sextortion gangs’ operating on Grindr dating app; four held
With the arrest of four men in separate operations, the Delhi Police on Friday claimed to have unearthed two ‘gay sextortion gangs’ active in south east Delhi, who used to trap victims using online dating app ‘Grindr’, an official said. The accused were identified as Arun Kumar alias Chotu (22), Vishal Kohli (24), Rajesh Kumar… Read more »
Indian government refused to appoint openly gay judge: Supreme Court
New Delhi – India’s government has refused to appoint a senior lawyer as a judge because he is gay and has a foreign partner, the country’s Supreme Court said. New Delhi only decriminalised gay sex in 2018 with a Supreme Court ruling, and opposition to gay rights is widespread in the largely conservative and devout… Read more »
Gay couples in India ask Supreme Court to legalise same-sex marriage
New Delhi (Reuters) – Four gay couples have asked India’s Supreme Court to recognise same-sex marriages, setting the stage for a legal face-off with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government which has in the past refused to legalise such marriages. In a historic verdict in 2018, India’s top court decriminalised homosexuality by scrapping a colonial-era ban… Read more »
‘Queersapien’ by Sharif D. Rangnekar and queer as new normal
For a queer person, “coming out” happens multiple times. First and the most difficult one is coming out to the self, then the family and close friends and ultimately to the larger world. The process is neither linear nor always progressive. For instance, during the Covid-19 emergency, many queer persons had to move back into… Read more »
Gay couples in India ask Supreme Court to legalise same-sex marriage
New Delhi (Reuters) – Four gay couples have asked India’s Supreme Court to recognise same-sex marriages, setting the stage for a legal face-off with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government which has in the past refused to legalise such marriages. In a historic verdict in 2018, India’s top court decriminalised homosexuality by scrapping a colonial-era ban… Read more »
India’s transgender population struggles with unhelpful hospitals and high costs
India’s transgender community faces many obstacles to accessing quality health care, especially when it comes to the costs of gender affirmation surgery. Manisha Khera, a transgender person from Mumbai, has been saving up for several years for a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and at a later stage a sex reassignment surgery (SRS) but finds the… Read more »
Indian LGBT+ rights group launches landmark bid to ban conversion therapy after tragic death of bisexual woman
Following the suicide of a young bisexual woman in India, an LGBT+ rights group has filed a petition to the Kerala High Court seeking to ban the practice of conversion therapy. Queerala, an organisation based in Kerala for the safety of LGBT+ people, and Raghav, a board member of Malayalee Transmen Association (MATA), are behind… Read more »
Mumbai’s Pride Parade cancelled after anonymous message links it to CAA-NRC protest
Mumbai has been hosting the Queer Azadi March every year since 2008. The annual LGBT Pride Parade scheduled for February 1 at August Kranti Maidan was cancelled Tuesday after an anonymous message was circulated over the weekend linking it to a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed nationwide National Register of… Read more »
Tata Steel’s New Policy Allows LGBTQ Employees to Declare Partners, Avail HR Benefits
Employees will also get financial assistance for gender reassignment surgery and 30 days of special leave for the same. New Delhi: Tata Steel on Monday said that it has introduced a new human resource policy that enables its employees from the LGBTQ+ community to declare their partners and avail all the HR benefits permissible under… Read more »
India’s Transgender Rights Law Isn’t Worth Celebrating
India’s parliament passed a bill to protect transgender rights last week, but the new law is inadequate on several fronts. Trans activists and allied human rights groups have critiqued the various trans rights bills since the first one was introduced in 2016. In the end, lawmakers failed to consider the concerns the activists raised. As… Read more »
Lesbian wedding of Pakistani-Indian couple – wearing sari and sherwani
In a lesbian wedding that showed “love has no borders”, two women – one from India, one from Pakistan – have married in a ceremony wearing traditional outfits. Bianca Maieli wore an ivory sari at her wedding to new wife Saima Ahmad, who wore a sherwani – an outfit traditionally worn by male brides in… Read more »
High Court in India rejects same-sex marriage plea
The court said it was up to parliament of India to draft and pass laws The Delhi High Court in India rejected a plea to legalize same-sex marriage on Monday (8 July). Petitioner Tajinder Singh argued the LGBTI community have fundamental human rights and deserve equality. ‘The Constitution treats everyone equally without any discrimination’ the… Read more »
19-year-old Indian dies by suicide after homophobic abuse
‘Everyone knows I’m a boy, but the way I walk, think, feel, talk…it’s like a girl. People living in India don’t like this’ wrote Avinshu Patel A 19-year-old man in the Indian city of Chennai died by suicide last Wednesday (3 July). The day before, Avinshu Patel, known as Avi, wrote a Facebook post detailing… Read more »
How India’s Stonewall played out in the country’s courts
From 2009 to 2018, barristers, judges, newspapers, and celebrities weighed in on whether LGBTI people could live their true lives 11-12-13 is not just a series of consecutive numbers. The 11th of December, 2013 was when LGBTI Indian’s freedom was taken back. It was a black day in Indian queer history. Our debate was made… Read more »
Villagers ‘humiliated’ by India’s first openly LGBTI athlete
‘She should stick to running’ Villagers in the home village of India’s first out athlete say her coming out was ‘humiliating’. Dutee Chand made international headlines in May when she revealed her female partner was her soulmate, making her the first openly LGBTI athlete in India. She is the current national 100m sprint champion. In… Read more »
LGBTI group compile ‘Pink List’ of queer-friendly Indian politicians
With over 8,000 candidates, the first vote after homosexuality was decriminalized will be a major one The largest election in history is underway in India, and LGBTI groups are working tirelessly to ensure voters are mindful. In the first election since the decriminalisation of Section 377 India, ‘The Pink List’ is a website compendium of… Read more »
First hotel owned and run by trans women opens in India
It will also house counseling services and a shelter for trans peopleA group of trans women has realized its dream and will open their own hotel in Kerala, India. The women planned to open the hotel called Hotel Ruchimudra in the state capital of Kochi in south east India. Aditi Achuth, Saya Mathew, Preethi Alexander,… Read more »
Stop performing operations on intersex children, Indian court rules
The Madras High Court also said a marriage between a man and trans woman was valid The Madras High Court in eastern India on Monday (22 April) made a landmark ruling guaranteeing the rights of transgender and intersex people. It was asked to rule on whether the term ‘bride’ as per the Hindu Marriage Act… Read more »
High court in India moves to protect lesbian couple
Although gay sex was decriminalized last year, the couple were facing abuse and threats from family members A high court in India has instructed police to protect a lesbian couple facing abuse from their family and people in living in their village. It is one of a handful of such judgments since India dramatically decriminalized… Read more »
Mr Gay World India 2019 Suresh Ramdas On Coming Out, Sec 377, And Being Tall Dark And Handsome
The pageant Mr. Gay World India has risen to popularity in the past few years. This year, the winner was Suresh Ramdas, a Bengaluru-based techie. We spoke to him about his success, his thoughts on the Section 377 ruling, and his future plans: What kind of a childhood did you have? Did you grow up… Read more »
Thousands march in first Mumbai Pride since decriminalisation
Thousands of people in Mumbai have taken to the streets to celebrate the first Mumbai Pride since homosexuality was decriminalised last year. Photos shared on social media of the event show huge numbers of people taking to the streets to celebrate the LGBT+ community. The pride event has a renewed poignancy this year, as it… Read more »
Indian army’s gay sex ban will continue, says top general
This is despite gay sex becoming legal in India last year A top general in the Indian army said a ban on gay sex will stay in effect, despite the Supreme Court lifting a general ban on it last year. ‘[The Indian] Army will not allow LGBT activities in the force,’ Chief of Army Staff,… Read more »
Protests against transgender bill erupt in India
Transgender protesters gathered outside the town hall in Bengaluru Transgender Indians on Wednesday (19 December) protested against a bill claiming to protect their rights. India’s lower house of parliament, the Lok Sabha, passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill on Monday. But, the transgender community has slammed it. They claim it infringes their rights… Read more »
The first Bangalore pride since decriminalization of homosexuality was epic
The photos of a mum and her gay son dressed in rainbow saris are beautiful One of India’s major Pride marches has wrapped up in Bangalore as revellers celebrated this year’s historic decision to decriminalize homosexuality. Thousands of people joined the 11th Namma Pride parade and danced in the streets in colorful outfits to celebrate… Read more »
Doctor to face High Court for giving electric shocks to gay people in India
Dr PK Gupta thought homosexuality was a ‘genetic mental disorder’ The Delhi High Court in India has ordered a doctor who allegedly gave gay and lesbian people electric shocks to convert them to face it. The court summoned Dr PK Gupta to face charges of violating norms and contravening the Indian Medical Council Act. Gupta… Read more »
India held its first androgynous fashion show and it looked amazing
Organizers wanted the event in Jaipur to bring gender diversity into mainstream society The inaugural Feronia Fashion Night celebrated gender diversity with androgynous collections by established and up-and-coming designers. Organizer Shruti Drolia told Gay Star News the night ‘aimed to avoid gender stereotypes ingrained in our society’. After contemplating the everyday fear gender-diverse people face,… Read more »
Trans candidate in India polls says she was held at knifepoint, drugged
Chandramukhi Muvvala went missing for 36 hours last week but has vowed to continue her election bid The only transgender candidate in the Telangana Assembly election in India said she was abducted at knifepoint and possibly drugged last week. Chandramukhi Muvvala has, however, vowed to continue campaigning, according to scroll.in. ‘Though this may affect my… Read more »
Trans Indian makes history at Delhi bodybuilding competition
Lawyer Aryan Pasha said it was his ‘dream’ to participate in the male category Indian trans hunk Aryan Pasha made history this weekend by taking second place at the Musclemania bodybuilding competition in Delhi. Aryan Pasha, an accomplished lawyer, competed in the Men’s Physique (Short) category. ‘It was my dream to participate in Men’s category’… Read more »
My court case could see Jamaica follow India and make gay sex legal
Lawyer and LGBTI activist Maurice Tomlinson is waiting for his day in court to strike down Jamaica’s anti-sodomy law The Indian Supreme Court’s historic judgement decriminalising homosexuality has given me new hope I may soon have my day in court to challenge Jamaica’s law. Few people know this – but the anti-gay law in Jamaica… Read more »
High Court in India grants lesbian couple police protection from families
The couple fled to the capital, Delhi, after facing mental and physical abuse from their parents in Rajasthan A lesbian couple in India rushed to the capital, Delhi, to seek protection from their families who disapprove of the relationship. Luckily, the Delhi High Court granted them police protection, according to local media. It is another… Read more »
Students celebrate end to India’s gay sex ban at Pondicherry’s first pride parade
After pushback from Pondicherry University, some 200 people waved flags and banners for LGBTI equality on the campus Some 200 students took the streets of Pondicherry in southeastern India for the city’s first pride parade. LGBTI advocates and allies marched through Pondicherry University holding banners and waving flags to celebrate India’s recent decriminalization of gay… Read more »
Indian court rules lesbian couple should live together
It is believed to be the first time an Indian court upheld the recent Supreme Court decision to dismantle the Section 377 and legalize gay sex The High Court of Kerala in south India on Monday ruled that a lesbian couple should live together. Importantly, the judges upheld the Supreme Court’s recent decision to dismantle… Read more »
India’s transgender population still at risk after gay sex decriminalized
While much of India’s LGBTI community may be celebrating the end of gay sex ban, transgender people in the capital have reported a surge in violence Despite a major win for the LGBTI community in India, transgender people are still vulnerable. On 6 September, India’s Supreme Court ruled that a law making gay sex illegal… Read more »
The Guardian view on gay rights: India backs freedom – others should follow
Editorial The supreme court judgment decriminalising homosexuality overturned a colonial era law. But its welcome ruling is a reminder of the work to be done elsewhere Unless you are gay, and have lived in one of the 70 or so countries where homosexuality is illegal, it is hard to imagine what it would feel like… Read more »
In over 40 countries, laws against homosexuality are a lasting legacy of British rule
After scrapping a regressive 19th century law that criminalised homosexuality, India has joined the ranks of the few former colonies to abandon a lasting legacy of British rule. Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was introduced by the British in 1861, inspired by the 1553 Buggery Act that outlawed homosexuality in England. It… Read more »
India court legalises gay sex in landmark ruling
In a historic decision, India’s Supreme Court has ruled that gay sex is no longer a criminal offence. The ruling overturns a 2013 judgement that upheld a colonial-era law, known as section 377, under which gay sex is categorised as an “unnatural offence”. The court has now ruled discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation… Read more »
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