India's LGBTQIA+ community has a rich history, but modern challenges remain. Explore the acceptance in ancient India, colonial impacts, and the fight for equality by activists like Laxmi Narayan Tripathi and Gauri Sawant. Learn how you can be an ally.
India is known for its rich cultural diversity and historical identity. Traditionally, Indian women’s identity has always been seen from the male perspective, accepting traditional norms and values. On the other side, there are women who have rejected traditional gender roles and have displayed their colorful side while fighting society.
Transgender women in India have always had their subculture from the earliest times. They usually identify themselves as women but have a masculine gender identity assigned at birth. Transgender women, who are called ‘Hijras’ in India, have a very old history going back thousands of years. The temples built in the 12th century, in Khajuraho, act as a reflection point for same-sex individuals who depict themselves in the act of embracing. Scholars have usually considered such depictions as the recognition of homosexuality.
The ancient Hindu epic, The Mahabharata tells the story of Shikhandi, who was originally a biological girl and was raised as a boy. She switched her female body for a Yaksha's and became a male warrior. Shikhandi faced the significant role of the Kurukshetra battle and proved to be responsible for the destruction and death of Bhishma.
The scripture Sabda-kalpa-druma, a Sanskrit dictionary along with Kamatantra (a manual of love) and Smriti-ratnavali (a summary of Vedic laws) of Vacaspati, an Indian philosopher mentions 20 types of sexualities. This literature demonstrates the different perspectives about sex in the period of ancient India. Along with the Narada Smriti, another ancient text of India prescribes fourteen descriptions of different sexual orientations. There are trans people (sandha), intersex people (nisarga), and three kinds of homosexual men (mukhebhaga, kumbhika, and asekya) who differ according to their sexual orientations. The texts also mention that there are men who act like women and women who act like men. The reason for their nature is determined at the time of their conception in the womb.
In India, Kinnars have the tradition of coming to weddings or a child’s birth and offering blessings to generations. Their status as deities in different cultures results in them being given big amounts of money and gifts because their position is considered the same as God itself, and therefore, their blessings are believed to be quite pure and effective. It is forbidden in the Hindu religion to abuse a ‘Kinnar’, let alone hurt them physically due to the fear of ‘Bhagwan’ punishing them.
The Indian conservative mindset can be attributed to several different factors. However, one of the biggest reasons is the colonial-era laws and ideologies. The British colonial government imposed laws that regarded homosexuality as illegal reflecting the moral values of the Victorian era. Such laws and perspectives have continued their influence making Indian society a conservative place for people with the same-sex orientation.
Homosexuality has been decriminalized in India. Meanwhile, same-sex marriage is still not legally recognized by the country. Getting legally married is still denied to same-sex couples due to which they cannot enjoy the legal benefits and protections that are typically associated with the marriage. LGBTQIA+ groups of people are typically under-represented in the media, politics, and government and are usually not involved as well.
Besides, the societal norms and social expectations in India usually lay a particular emphasis on heterosexual relationships and traditional gender roles. This can easily result in a poor understanding of the group and their right to existence in society.
Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, a transgender person, is greatly respected in India as a result of her wide range of activities including work as a transgender rights activist, dancer, actress, and motivational speaker. Laxmi’s real activism started in 2002 when she was appointed the president of the first registered organization for eunuchs in South Asia. She eventually established her own organization titled Astitva, aimed at providing support to sexual minorities.
Her work has contributed significantly to the visibility of the existing issues in the transgender community. She has been on the boards of various NGOs and has been a strong supporter of the removal of Section 377 until it was finally decriminalized in 2018.
Gauri Sawant, a transgender activist became popular for a heartwarming Vicks advertisement for their ‘Touch of Care’ campaign. The advertisement was centered around the true story of Gauri Sawant, who adopted Gayatri after her mother, who was a sex worker, died. The narration is in the first person from Gayatri’s viewpoint, showing the unconditional love and care by Gauri despite the deep-rooted prejudices in the society. After the ad turned out to be successful, Gauri Sawant continued to use her celebrity status to further her activism. She has been working on her pet project, an old-age home and adoption house for the transgender community, to afford the elderly with care and support.
Priyanka Paul on Instagram, is a self-taught illustrator and writer from Mumbai who has been stirring up the internet with her art that does not shy away from our society to support social change. Her work is often themed around social injustice. Not only does she capture the audience's attention but also challenges them to think with her captivating illustrations.
In the end, the hardship of transgender women and non-binary people who struggle to be accepted continues. The struggle for equality is not only to be officially recognized but also goes way beyond that. Through supporting LGBTQIA+ organizations and rectifying ourselves, we can all make India a better place.