Everyday lives of queer people

Iswaraya is a thirunangai or trans woman from Vellore district in search of a life of dignity and respect. Here is the story of her continuing struggle to start and run a successful drama troupe in Tamil Nadu

Ramya is a trans woman, called thirunangais in her Irular community. She says the civic and political agency of trans women like her is growing, and she plans to stand for panchayat elections soon

A beloved cook’s biryani is all the rage in Coimbatore’s Pullukadu area. With over 15 trans employees, this is an inclusive-catering service

A diverse group of people across gender spectrum and their allies from neighboring cities and states came together to celebrate Mysuru's second Pride march

A Therukkoothu performer speaks about the challenges faced by transgender artistes as they pursue their passion for this ancient theatre form in Tamil Nadu

As members of the queer community went out to canvas during the run-up to General Elections 2024, the ruling party supporters heckled and threatened them and the journalist covering the event

Sexual and gender-based violence can manifest in many forms. From familial resistance to endless medico-legal red tape, Sumit has traversed an arduous journey to reclaim his gender identity, and he has miles to go

Thulasi is from the Irular community and a member of the thirunangai community of trans gender people. A single parent, she supports herself with daily wage work, participating in temple rituals and passing on herbal remedies. On March 31, a story for International Day of Transgender Visibility

A fish trader in Tamil Nadu, trans woman Maneesha auctions, loads, salts, dries and sells fish. Covid, followed by the initial ban on purse-seine nets almost sunk her business, but expensive private loans are keeping this entrepreneur afloat

In Pride month, PARI Library spotlights the voices and data around the queer community who live away from big metros and cities, and face social exclusion in their personal and professional lives

Himachal Pradesh's Pride march advocated for the rights of the queer community, drawing many from villages and small towns in the state

Trans people rarely get a chance to perform theatre. On International Transgender Day of Visibility, held on March 31, a photo story on Sandakaranga – a play about the lives of the transgender community and their struggles against discrimination

A young woman and a trans man from rural Maharashtra tell their story of love that is marked by strife and struggle for social acceptance, justice, a sense of identity and a future together

West Bengal's Boni Paul was stopped from playing international football due to his intersex variations. On April 22, National Intersex Human Rights Day, he speaks about his identity and recounts his struggles

Harassed, shunned by family, losing livelihoods – trans folk in Tamil Nadu are seeing the worst of times

While the pandemic has devastated many folk artists across Tamil Nadu, trans women performers have been among the worst hit – with barely any work or income, and no access to aid or state benefits

Transgender persons in Ichalkaranji town face discrimination everywhere – at home, in school, in housing, on the street. They struggle to be seen as ordinary people and to find work with some degree of dignity

During the Dussehra month, the ragtag Ramkatha Singing Party dashes off from stage to stage, before returning to their day jobs, even as the retelling of the epic is engulfed by contemporary politics

The Koovagam festival in Tamil Nadu, which ends on April 25 this year, draws many transgender persons. They come here to sing, dance, cry and pray – but mostly, to be themselves without fear of ostracism