Last October’s photo essay “A Day in Gay India” generated an overwhelming response. Our inboxes were flooded with mails telling us how much our readers appreciated- and more importantly- associated with the cover story. In it, we showed lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Indians in a way they have rarely been presented before in the Indian media- as everyday people. In the cacophony of political discourse and the glitter of Page 3 coverage, we often ignore the fact that the LGBT person is after all the regular bloke and lass next door- the engineering student preparing for his semester exams, the real estate agent out for a dinner with her partner, or a doctor at his clinic.
It is images like these that speak to us and make us who we are- a community as diverse as the rainbow that represents us- yet as mundane and routine as the “mainstream”. Without making any political statement, these pictures tell the world that queer people have the same hopes and aspirations- the same fears and challenges that straight people have.
And so like last year, we tracked a day in the lives of some ordinary gay and lesbian individuals like you and me, and asked them to send in their pictures. And the entries were indeed both striking and beautiful. Hope you’ll enjoy going through our photo essay as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Udayan
Editor-in-Chief
Loved the second part as much! Congrats!!
This issue is amazing Udayan.. my best wishes to the team.. really great work- the best issue so far!
Hi Udayan,
I always wondered why LGBT people are projected differently though we are still like “every day people-lass next door” as you rightly put it. Now I am glad you are moving in the said right diection. The issue is great as always.Congrats
siva