Indian Queer Liberation Movement

Understanding through mythology, religion, history and contemporary socio-legal scenario

Resumo

This article examines the queer liberation movement in India from an anthropological perspective, tracing its development through the intricate interplay of mythology, religion, history, and the contemporary legal framework. Pre-colonial Indian religions, as evidenced by scriptures from Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Jainism, previously acknowledged gender and sexual flexibility. The Criminal Tribes Act and Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, both instituted during British colonial rule, enshrined Victorian morality and systematically obliterated this vibrant ethnic heritage.    Prior to the landmark Supreme Court decision in Navtej Singh Johar, which decriminalized homosexuality in 2018, the post-colonial state persisted in enforcing these repressive frameworks.    This research employs multi-sited ethnographic fieldwork at different Pride events in Delhi and Kolkata, supplemented by unstructured interviews and experiential ethnography, to analyze the progression of the movement from its symbolic inception during the 1999 Kolkata Friendship Walk to its current manifestation. While serving as a platform for pride and visibility, research indicates that contemporary LGBTQ+ or Queer activism encounters several hurdles, including linguistic politics, state monitoring, internal economic and social hierarchies, and the limitations of legal victories. It contends that a decolonial and intersectional approach is essential for holistic queer liberation in India, addressing homo-nationalism, caste oppression, Brahminical-hetero-patriarchy, and class struggle.