First came the kisses, then the bullying: Why I’m grateful to the boy who outed me
He showed me that desire and shame often arrive together
DesireQueer History
#RewindingPride
Rewinding Pride is queerbeat's social media series to document important and defining moments from India's queer past. Available soon on the website.
Don’t let social media decide which queer stories you see.
Latest Posts
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Vaishnavi Suresh and Anishaa Tavag 28 Aug 2026
“200 complaints across 14 districts in Keralam”: BJP Mahila Morcha targets trans woman over Modi comments
Jaanmoni Das said her words were misconstrued, edited out of context, and broadcast without her consent.
Queer Rights -
Esha Mitra 21 Aug 2026
A Bihar Transgender Welfare Board Member Hosts a ‘Modi Chalisa’ at the Press Club of India
The Press Club distanced itself from the event and said that an enquiry would be conducted into the matter.
Faith -
Partha Sarathi Biswas and Esha Mitra 18 Aug 2026
Social Justice Ministry contradicts itself on records behind the Trans Amendment Act
In two RTI responses, the ministry says it has no documented records of the evidence or consultations behind the Act. In the third, it says the records exist but can’t be made available.
Law -
Esha Mitra 13 Aug 2026
Assam Floods: Trans people face discrimination; struggle to access aid
Queer groups are stepping in to fill the void
Bodies -
Esha Mitra 05 Aug 2026
Tax laws are the latest frontier in queer couples’ fight for equal rights
When cis-het couples don’t pay tax on gifts they give each other, why should we, ask same-sex couples
Queer Rights -
Manu Moudgil 31 Jul 2026
I was stuck in the closet even after I came out. Then I met a bunch of carefree young queers.
How I started aging backwards because of a queer collective in Chandigarh
Relationships
Explore key themes
A central idea in each story.
Must Reads
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Sayantan Datta, Ekta Sonawane and Anishaa Tavag 16 Mar 2026
India’s govt wants to turn trans rights law into trans persecution law; queer groups prepare to fight back
A contentious amendment bill threatens to scrap self-determination of gender, impose medical scrutiny, and criminalise trans communities
Law -
Anchal Bhateja 13 Mar 2026
How my disability shaped the way my father approached my queer relationship
Coming out as a disabled queer woman taught me how love, safety, and worth are quietly negotiated in some families.
Relationships -
Arathi MR 06 Mar 2026
The trans singer who lost his voice as he found himself
How Madhav started from scratch and learnt to love his new pitch
Bodies -
Sayantan Datta and Ekta Sonawane 29 Oct 2025
A trans person’s struggle for dignity doesn’t stop even when they die
An in-depth look into the deaths of two trans women–one in Kolkata and another in Goa–reveals how trans people face systemic violence in death, as they do in life
Bodies -
Sayantan Datta 23 May 2025
Why gender-neutrality won’t fix India’s broken rape laws
India’s new criminal code fails to protect LGBTQ+ folks from rape. Everybody agrees it’s a problem. Few agree on the solution. How did we get here?
Law -
Naina Bhargava 24 Jul 2024
Love and loss in Multai
Queer love is often forbidden in small town India. Two women, separated by caste, class, and religion, dared to defy the order.
Caste
Stories Within
A campaign by It’s Ok To Talk and queerbeat, featuring personal essays from young people about their experiences with queerness and mental health.
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The Rainbow Awards for Literature & Journalism
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The Laadli Media & Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity
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ACJ Awards Special Mention - Social Impact Journalism