Snapshots
Being gay in India can be challenging due to the prevalence of stereotypes, bigotry, and prejudice. Those who came before us endured many hardships and carved out their unique paths, so let us not lose sight of the fact that today is better than yesterday. Although the LGBTQ+ movement in India is still in its infancy, it did not just appear; rather, it is the culmination of many years of courageous individuals battling for acceptance, a struggle that is far from over. Stories like these inspired other ordinary people to come out and live their truth openly and honestly, from Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of the Indian royal family coming out to Vikram Seth and calling for the removal of section 377 of the IPC, bit by bit. From trailblazers to entertainers, here are queer celebrities from India making waves globally!
Tan France
The magnetic fashion guru from the smash Netflix series "Queer Eye," Tanveer Wasim, has not only revolutionised style but also shown the strength that comes from accepting yourself as you are. Despite coming from a Muslim household in Pakistan, France, who was born in the United Kingdom, struggled to accept himself as homosexual and navigate the complexities of cultural norms. Because of his bravery in telling his tale, France has become an inspiration, paving the way for others to embrace their individuality via clothing and accessories.
Shonali Bose
Shonali Bose, a proud bisexual filmmaker, starred Konkona Sen Sharma in her award-winning first feature, Amu (2005). Margarita With A Straw (2015), The Sky Is Pink (2019), and the most recent Amazon Prime Original, Modern Love Mumbai, are all films that she has directed. They tell the narrative of a same-sex romance between two women with impairments. In an interview, Bose said that she met a bisexual female when she was a student.
Grace Banu
Grace Banu, a pioneer in the fight for transgender equality, was the first transgender student in the history of Tamil Nadu to get admission to an engineering school. A transgender person's right to take the TNPSC entrance test has been advanced by the Indian software engineer who also founded and directs Trans Rights Now Collective. The 'Best Third Gender' award, which honours transgender people, was first presented to her. After discovering problems with transgender people's ration cards, Banu launched initiatives to collect funds throughout the epidemic. She fought for transgender people to be able to use caste as a basis for horizontal reservation in 2021. The need to acknowledge caste-based discrimination within the LGBTQ community and the interconnectedness of oppression, according to Banu, is paramount.
Keshav Suri
The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group's youngest executive director is the outspoken and proud business magnate Keshav Suri. Suri founded Kitty Su, one of India's most welcoming and longest-running nightclubs. He is also a petitioner in the Indian writ that seeks to have Section 377 repealed. After deciding to fight for a more accepting nation, he founded the Keshav Suri Foundation to support the LGBTQIA+ community. The It Gets Better Project has an official affiliation in India, and that is the Foundation. Many consider the Group to be among the most welcoming hotel brands in the world as a result of its initiatives and guiding principles.
Navtej Johar
With a distinctive technique that blends dance, yoga, and somatics, Navtej Johar is a Bharatanatyam dancer-choreographer, yoga practitioner, scholar, and social activist. Johar has won many scholarships and was named Sangeet Natak Akademi's Contemporary Choreography Awardee. In 2003, Navtej Singh Johar faced questions about his sexuality during a phone interview in New Delhi. The encounter stuck with him, and his partner followed up by asking whether he preferred to be recognised as a talented dancer or a homosexual dancer. In the seminal 2018 decision known as Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India, Navtej and five others challenged Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code in a 2016 case that had previously been heard in India's highest court.
Karan Johar
Karan Johar has bravely navigated a mostly heteronormative business while embracing his identity as a homosexual man. He is one of the most acclaimed directors in Bollywood, and his films often portray the significance of love, family, and relationships. Johar has used his position to start debates, challenge preconceptions, and champion for more LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream film, all while navigating the cultural constraints and stigmas surrounding homosexuality in India. Many aspiring filmmakers and performers have found inspiration and support in his unfaltering dedication to sincerity, which has allowed them to follow their dreams. Johar emphasises in his book, "An Unsuitable Boy," how his films featuring LGBT characters have encouraged others to come out. He believed there was a purpose to his comedic treatment of homosexuality. He has also brought up the fact that young people have expressed gratitude to them for films like Dostana, which have pushed homosexuality into the spotlight and family discussions.
Menaka Guruswamy
Guruswamy now serves as a senior advocate for the Supreme Court and is a recognisable face in the queer legal space in India. From 2017 until 2019, she served as a lecturer and B.R. Ambedkar Research Scholar at New York's Columbia Law School. Several law schools, including Yale, NYU, and Toronto, have hosted Guruswamy as a visiting professor. The Section 377 case was only one of many historic instances in which she was instrumental in the Supreme Court's decision-making process.