Queer InFocus is a bimonthly roundup of queer news in India.
JK Rowling draws ire online for ‘anti-trans’ tweets about menstruation
7th June, 2020
The author of Harry Potter, J K Rowling received a lot of backlash for her recents tweets on menstruation that were anti-transgender in nature. Her comments on menstruation and biological sex, left a lot of Harry Potter fans feeling deeply hurt and disappointed. Many urged people to boycott her and donate to Black Transwomen fund or any organisation that supports the LGBTQ community.
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Pride Month: Amid the pandemic, the pride marches on, virtually
7th June, 2020
June is celebrated as the Global Pride Month, filling streets across the world with pomp and gaiety of pride marches. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, more than two thousand pride marches stand cancelled globally. However, this hasn’t dampened the spirit of the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies, who have found a way to celebrate virtually.
LGBTQIA+ musical icons, drag queens and human rights activists are set to take part in Global Pride 2020 on June 27, a 24-hour virtual pride celebration.
LGBTQIA+ and disability rights activist Nitish Dubey says, “Gay people with disability always felt isolated from the pride celebration. This year will give us a chance to join in the celebration- to be part of one big family supporting equality.”
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India’s surveillance technology is policing the data and bodies of its most vulnerable citizens
6th June, 2020
To most, linking digital wallets to India’s unique biometric ID Aadhaar isn’t something to worry about but, Poornima, a transgender activist living in North Eastern India knows differently. Among the transpeople she works with, most engage in sex work and rely on digital wallet Paytm for payments. With the linking of both, it poses a serious threat to the transgender community, especially those involved in sex work as Aadhaar recognises three genders and the authorities are also aware that job opportunities are severely restricted and sex work is often one of the few options available for them. There’s a real fear that this might end up inadvertently visibilising their identities as sex workers, which in India, is a crime.
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British Council and The Queer Muslim Project present the Digital Pride Festival
15th June, 2020
British Council, in partnership with The Queer Muslim Project, announced their Digital Pride festival, #prideathome, to mark the global Pride Month through film, discussions and performances. The festival will be held from June 15 to 28. Some of the events include – a Bollywood style Mujra, a talk on ‘Gay Nightlife Culture in India’, film screenings etc. Various queer art initiatives will also be featured on British Council’s social media channels.
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Please take a look at our article on what we can do as queer allies during COVID-19.
Published by The Pink List India, here’s a list of organisations working towards providing immediate relief for the queer community across the country.
Haima Simoes is the Outreach Officer at the Queer Rights Center, One Future Collective.