The meanings you miss when hijras clap
At times ritual, at times resistance—the taali is barely understood by society and hotly-debated, even by hijras
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I often find anger to be my strongest expression of love
Speaking to dissident artist Priyanka Paul about art and anger
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You have to do your own advocacy because telling trans stories requires care
In conversation with actor, teacher, and drag artist Lauren Robinson
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‘I do not believe freedom will ever come from appealing to an unfree world’
In conversation with comedian-poet Alok Vaid-Menon ahead of the India tour of their show, Hairy Situation.
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National Award-winner Flowering Man rejects tired tropes of queer cinema
Made as part of Soumyajit Ghosh Dastidar’s degree at the Film and Television Institute of India, the film chronicles the transformation of a man through the eyes of his daughter
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‘I don’t want to further the perception that you’re doomed because you’re queer’
In conversation with Rohan Kanawade, director of Sundance-winning Sabar Bonda
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In Britain of the 80s and 90s, desi queers were exotic, but excluded
Excerpted from the book ‘Desi Queers: LGBTQ+ South Asians and Cultural Belonging in Britain’ by Churnjeet Mahn, Rohit K. Dasgupta and DJ Ritu published in India by Westland Books
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Why Indian cinema keeps ignoring trans masculinity
Indian films and TV shows are obsessed with masculinity. But only of the cis-male variety.
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What trans elders can teach us about joy
Trans people often die young. Narratives about those who grow old often emphasise tragedy. These older trans folks are creating joy in the everyday.
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What does Delhi’s queer map look like for Dalit Bahujan folks?
Caste has built a wall of shame that divides the city. Across the Nala attempts to knock it down.
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Trans people birthed a play that shook Kerala theatre. What happened next?
Parayan Marana Kathakal’s resounding success seemed poised to change Kerala theatre forever. But seven years on, its promise remains unfulfilled.
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What the YouTuber who recorded ‘gande log’ at a Delhi gay spa didn’t show you
Gay spas in Delhi are a sanctuary for many men, offering rare spaces for them to find desire and kinship.
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