About Us
Welcome to Indian Queer Media Watch – a site that archives information/news concerning the portrayal of LGBTQ people of/from India in the media, particularly the Indian Media. Given that the Queer rights movement in India is at a nascent stage and at a historically significant moment in time, we believe this site would help in documenting the various news sources and provide a timeline to the various events.
Who are we?
This site is associated with Orinam.net a bilingual – Tamil and English – site with information on alternate sexualities and genders. We aim to collect and compile information pertaining to the Indian Media – both in English and regional languages.
Contact Us
Please feel free to forward any additional links.
This blog is a compilation of links and news sources by various media sources and we would acknowledge the published link with the appropriate tags and the name of the media source that originally published it. It is not intended to violate any copyrights. If anyone has an issue with any newsitem or content reproduced please write to us at orinamwebber at gmail dot com or leave a comment here and we will ensure that the content is removed and only the original link is left in place.
Queer Media Watch: India 
Hello,
This is apropos the article written by Anirudh you guys had posted on your site (https://qmediawatch.wordpress.com/2006/10/12/kalachuvadu-review-of-vettayadu/). A popular Tamil magazine, Ananda Vikatan has an article regarding the same issue. I am not a subscriber of Ananda Vikatan online, but I do have a .pdf file that can be fetched from the following link : http://dune.rcac.purdue.edu/files/gnani-av.pdf
I hope you post this on your website.
cheers,
Sundar
Hi,
This is kamakshi a researcher from NDTV. we are starting a new show which deals with sensitive issues. I came across your site while looking for people for one of my topics, transgender and transexuals. i know people treat such people unjustly but we wold like to show the real feelings and problems faced by them. please contact me urgently.
kamakshi khanna
9811558281
I just thought you may want to know of GFest – gayWise LGBT Arts Festival. GFest is an annual LGBT arts festival and is now in its 3rd year. Last year the festival was launched at the Palace of Westminster and the artistic Director is asian film maker Niranjan Kamatkar.
The festival was described as one of the 4 key LGBT events for London along with Pride and LLGFF.
I thought it’s a key achievement by an asian person and shows what people can achieve.
Hi, glad to come across your interesting site.
I would like to suggest you to include Solaris Pictures, company of director Sridhar Rangayan, in your blogroll. They seem to be the only queer media production company ijn india who have produced / coproduced films like gulabi aaina, yours emotionally and now 68 pages – all dealing with queer characters and issues in India. Their website link is http://www.solarispictures.com
I think they also have a gay Indian DVd store on amazon.
Check it out.
best wishes for your wonderful work.
Nirmal
Hi, me again. the gay indian dvd amazon store is – http://astore.amazon.com/solarpictu-20
they also got happy hookers now.
Cheers
N
Your Q Media watch is indeed an eye oepner for the rest of the world , a selfish somnolent world that has done nothing to bring the transgender back home.. to society.
I have added your link on my new Hijda Blogs at Word Press..
Through a few thousand pictures I show you the world according to the Hijda …
Wish you success in your endeavour
http://hijdaeunuchblog.wordpress.com
Thanks
Firoze Shakir
Photographerno1
[…] https://qmediawatch.wordpress.com/about/ […]
Yet another gay couple opts for a suicide pact, while the judiciary and the government of India dither on Section 377:
Youth and Student immolate themselves
A youth, running a barber shop and his friend, a student, have been discovered dead due to burns in a rented house.
Sivanarayanan (32), from Perumbilavu in Trichur, presently residing near Ajantha Theatre in Pandikkudi, Mattanchery (Kochi) and Deepak (17), son of Srikesh, R.G. Pai Road, are the deceased and their badly charred bodies were spotted in a room of the rented house Sivanarayanan had been occupying. The incident seems to have taken place at around 3 am on Thursday (26th). Both the bodies have been completely burnt. Police recovered a petrol can from the precincts. Police assumes that the two, who were intimate friends, had committed suicide together.
Deepak’s family had been objecting to his relationship with Sivanarayanan. As a result, Deepak had even attempted to run away from his house a few days back, says the police.
On Wendesday, Deepak had been watching TV till 12 at night and must have sneaked out after that to go to Sivanarayanan’s house. Police added that he had even created a human shape on his bed with a pillow and covered it with a blanket to avert the suspicion of his family, before leaving the house.
The police come to the conclusion that the trauma caused by his family’s discovery of his unnatural relationship with Sivanarayanan must be the reason for his suicide. Sivanarayanan, who came from Perumbilavu to Kochi a few years back, had been running thee Barber shops in the city.
(Mathrubhumi, 27th June 2008)
Hello, I’m a film maker from New Zealand and I’m currently developing a script on a transgender individual growing up in India. I’m looking to travel to India in January/February 2009 to do some research and I was hoping to connect with those in the know. If you could help in any way I would greatly appreciate your time and advice. Please email me at the address I supplied.
Sincere Regards,
AJ
This is in reply to AJ, the film maker from New Zealand. Write to me at : aurokalki at gmail.com for your research.
Hello from Queer Youth India a LGBT youth-led collective movement consisting of activists, campaigners, journalists, writers, students, parents, teachers, and youth leaders and a proud member of the International Queer Youth Congress which is uniting sexual and gender minority youths all over the world to achieve global freedoms and equality.
We welcome fresh contributions from anyone who feels they could help us achieve these aims! Our blog now links here to queer media watch and we look forward to working with you and welcoming your younger readers as members and comrades very soon.
Please join us at http://india.lgbtyouth.org
Greetings to you from “NIVETHITHA INTERNATIONAL”
We are happy to announce you that the tamil First feature film about the THIRD GENDER named as “KARUVARAI POOKAL” is almost ready and the final patch work is to be done soon.
We are going to release the audio of the movie on 4/9/08.
We are expecting your ardent support to promote the audio and film.
We beliver surely you will hear it and buy the CD’s as well as the ringtone.
Lovingly,
NIVETHITHA INTERNATIONAL
nathammedia@gmail.com
Thanks for maintaining his great blog…
Media representations are so important in LGBT politics.
Hope we could give sensitivity training to journalists, news reporters etc..
Hi guys,
Emily Wax here, from New Delhi buro of The Washington Post. I am doing a story this week on the issue of black mail and the gay community and how it is allowed to continue b.c being gay is illegal. If anyone knows someone who I could speak to more on the black mail issue. Please feel free to email me at waxe@washpost.com.
Many thanks,
Emily
Wow nice to here Emily
Hi, I’m a writer based in Mumbai. I’m working on a piece on the trauma of coming-out in India. If anyone can give me any any leads please write to me at sara.rajan@gmail.com.
Cheers, Sara.
Hello,
I am a graduate student at the School of Communication Studies at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio. I am emailing you regarding a research project on blogs by gay Indians, reacting to the June 29, 2008, Gay Pride marches held in New Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata. I would like to get your feedback on the project findings, because your blog was one of them analyzed for it.
If you have an email address, I would like to email you a more detailed note on the research project. You can email me at rahulm@bgsu.edu
Thank you for your time.
“Queer Thoughts”
A National Conference organized by Sappho for Equality
10 – 11 April 2009
Venue : H L Roy Auditorium Jadavpur University Campus (Gate No. 3), Kolkata.
Time : 10:00 am. – 6:00 p.m. Registration at 9:15 a.m.
For further details contact: sapphoqueerconference@gmail.com within 31/03/09
Gaymatchindia is a new free dating site for the LGBT community that keeps Indian audience in mind. But that apart, is India ready for a site that openly invites gay people to find matches?
Read full article and see the world has changed.
http://www.mid-day.com/news/2009/aug/040809-Gaymatchindia-LGBT-dating-website-Aishwarya-Kannan-Kaushyk-Satish-Bangalore.htm
Hey people…. The great Lesbian movies Director “Shamim Sarif” and Producer Hannan Kattan (Both are real life parteners), Have come all the way from London to Mysore for TED held at infosys campus, They will be leaving on 7th or 8th possibly.. Few Lesbians in bangalore are planning to meet her, Anyone interested Please call me on 9845638838. She had directed award winning movies like “I CANT THINK STRAIGHT “, and “THE WORLD UNSEEN”. She is a writer, director….. and endless talent she has .. Its a really greatest opportunity for lesbians in bangalore. So please consider this.She is on facebook and twitter as well. And their official web address is “www.enlightenmentproductions.com”.. veiw them for more details.
Well Mysore is 120 Km from Bangalore and my mail id is kusumictsfan@yahoo.in,
Sorry for the short notice.
Dear All
Greetings from NTHB ( Network of Transgender and Hijra in Bengal)!
We all know that there is not network still in West Bengal who is working with Transgenders and Hijras. This is the reason that seven CBOs (Community Based Organisations) from West Bengal has decided that they will come under the umbrella of ATHB and work with Transgenders and Hijras in West Bengal. So, 0n 30th April, 2010 (Friday) we are having Exhibition related to violence, case study, news paper cuttings, generals and others with Transgenders and Hijras, Signature Campaign, Press Conference and Finally Rally.
You all know that Transgenders and Hijras are facing many problems day by day and nobody is helping us. Earlier we decided that we will celebrate it as a “Transgender’s Day” but now after Kundan’s, Bhaskar’s, Kajal’s and Sonali’s incident we have decided it we will have this event into “BLACK DAY”. So, this is also a request to all of you that if you can wear Black outfit or Dress which is a Dress code decided by all of us on 30th April, 2010 during the programme
We all know that Temperature is getting high day by day. So, this is just a suggestion that if you carry Water, Umbrella and little food along with you during Rally then it would be better for you. You all know that we have very low budget and still not getting any support from anywhere.
Attending in this movement will really help all the Transgenders and Hijras In West Bengal.
Please feel free to contact for more details at any time.
Contact Person: Sanjay Ram- 9830023153
Programme Schedule
Time: Event: Venue:
10.00 am Exhibition, Esplanade (Near Raas Mani Road)
To Signature Campaign & on the Podium
6.00pm Panel Discussion
2.00 pm Press Conference Esplanade (Near Raas Mani Road)
To on the Podium
3.00pm
4.00 pm Rally From College square to Esplanade
To & (Near Raas Mani Road,
6.30pm Speeches by the Guest, on the Podium)
Leaders of NTHB
Note: This is the request from all the participant that we are having this event as a “Black Day” so, if we can wear BLACK outfit on 30th April, 2010.
Regards
Ranjit Sinha
NTHB
Dear All Friends, Colleagues and Partners of ATHB (Association of Transgender/Hijra in Bengal)
Greetings from Anandam!
This is to inform you that Anandam (Supported by DMSC) has got Scholarship for the Transgender/Hijra community by the IGNOU ( Indra Gandhi Open University) in Kolkata which will be some diploma course in our center (DMSC). This is the first and golden oppertunity for our community.
Courses are:
1> BA / B COM. (Three years)
2> HIV certificate ( 6 months)
3> Food and Nutritions (6 months)
4> Counsellor Guidlines (6 months)
5> Nutrition and Child care (6 months)
6> Women Powerment (6 months)
For this course you have to submiitted two passport size photo copy and birth cerficate.
If you are interested for this course then please contact Ranjit Sinha within 10th May, 2010, at 12/5, Nilmoni Mitra Street, Kolklata-700006, phone no. 9830027185.
Regards
Nitai Giri
Secretary
Anandam
Dear All Friends/Colleagues/Supporters
Greetings from ATHB (Association of Transgender/Hijra in Bengal)!
ATHB is going to Organize a one day programme where from the morning we will have workshop on Capacity Building with the CBOs of different districts of West Bengal and in the evening we will have Award Function. In this function we will give Award to those people who really did something for the community. This is the first Award Function in India where Transgender and Hijras would be Empower and Respect in the mainstream by getting this Award. There are many Award for many people like for sports man, Film maker, Business man and Women etc. but there is nothing for Transgenders/Hijras in India.
We are giving this Award to whom are as follows:
1> Pinky Banerjee ( Bhaskar) : Pinky is basically from Hijra community and PLHA and taking ART and few days before she was admitted to Hospital there she came to know she is not well and suffering from many diseases. Forcely she was admitted to the Male Deapartment forcefully because there are no Department for the Hijras. Then after she was forced to wear Lungi which she denied. She wanted to wear Nighty ( which generally wear by female) but lots of objection came because she was in Male Department but after the lots of argument and request with the staff of Hospital they allowed her to wear Nighty. She was so sick even she could not walk properly but she came in the Rally of ” Transgender’s Day” which we had as a ” Black Day” on 30th Apil, 2010 in Kolkata and organised by the ATHB. First She walked little then she was sitting in the Rickshaw and atttend Rally from begining to end. This is the reason that we want to give this Bravery Awrad to her
and which would be encourage her and she would be a example for others.
2> Mahua Guru: Mahua Guru is the Guru of Hijra Community (Gharana). Generally Hijra community do not allow anyone from their daiyaar should go to any organisations specially who talk about HIV/AIDS in West Bengal. If they will hear all this about anyone from their Hijra community then they will force her to give penalty and sometime they kick them out of their community. After all this, Mahua Guru was present in the Porgramme of 30th April, 2010 from morning to evening and said many answers of the questions which had been asked by the public during the Panel Discussion. It is a History that any Hijra Guru attend such kind of programme openly and interacted with the Media and Public. It is really great and this is the reason that we have decided that we will give this award to Mahua Guru also.
3> Sudip Chakraborty: Sudip is from Transgender community and working as a outreach worker in MSM Network last few years. Sudip was forced to not to attend in the Rally which was on 30th April, 2010 in Kolkata as a Transgender’s Day, otherwise she would be answerable to the that MSM Network. But Sudip was the only one who did not care all this because she feels no any network is in West Bengal working on Transgender/Hijra and this is the first network who thinks about TG/Hijra only So, she decided that she will attend this programme by hook or crook. So, she came and attend this programme. After that when she went to her office (MANAS Bangla’s office) then she got one letter which was suspension letter for 15 days because she attended 30th April’s Rally. After that she did not sit silently and she had written one letter to us and asked help. We also forwarded that letter to NACO and SAPCS also but they did not do anything for her. Such kind
of MSM network and People do not want that Transgenders/Hijras should get Recognition and Identity in the Society. This is the reason that we would also like to give this award to her also. Not only Sudip her family was also in the problem, tension and depression when Sudip got this Suspension letter. This Award would go to her Family member also who still encourage her for her Braveness.
4> Vinita is a Transgender Sex worker who always says in the media and public about her sexuality and sex work. She is still strugling for her sexuality. She is thrown out from her house by the local goondas and clubs and she is staying in the red light area. We have decided that we will give this Award to her also for the encouragement and her valuable time to the community. She help a ot to the other community whenever any community face any kind of problem.
5> Sappho is a organisation also working for last many years in West Bengal.
Sappho’s Vision:
Our vision is a society free of sexuality-based discriminations, where rights of the sexual minorities will be ensured.
Mission:
The mission of our organization is to address the issues of sexually marginalized women in our society and to broaden the struggle for democracy for their equal rights, within the nation-state and beyond.
6> Manabi Bandopadhayay: Manabi was earlier Somnath Bandhopadhyay as Transgender Activist. She had done many TV programmes and sensetizations programmes for the community. She changed her sex few years ago. She is a Lecturer of a College last many years. She introduced news megazine (Abo manab) first in West Bengal where problems and achievement were written about Transgenders and Hijras.
We have decided that these five individuals and one organisation is eligible for this Award for the self respect and recognition of the community in the Society.
In West Bengal no any other Network or Agency is working for Transgender/Hijra. Even they do not want to talk about these community. Male to Female Transgender or Female to Male Transgender they do not want to strength the community.
Regards
Ranjit Sinha and all the team of ATHB
Venue of the Award Function:
Bravery Award Function which is organising by ATHB on 5th June, 2010 on Saturday from 4pm to 5pm at DMSC (Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee) 5/A, Nilmoni Mitra Lane, Kolkata-700006.
sanjay ram
Koshish is a community based organisation of LGBTH ( Lesbian g Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Hijra) in West Bengal but our office at Kolkata.
We are congratulating ATHB’s all the team for this wonderfull event.
Dear All
Congratulations to all of you at last we saved the life of Rainbow Pride Walk with the help of seven partners of ATHB (Association of Transgender/Hijra in Bengal), Dum dum Swikriti Society, Amitie Trust, DMSC (Durbar Mahila Samawaya Committee), Amra Padatik, Komal Gandhar, FPA INDIA, many individuals and others. We all have decieded thatb we will have Rally on 2nd July on the celebration on the verdict of Delhi Hihg Court on section 377 of IPC.
We would like to give thanks to all above Organizations and Individuals and specially media also for covering the news very nicely. We would like to give special thanks to Rajorshi Chokroborty Sanjay Ram, Ranjit Sinha, Anis Roy Choudhury and Aniruddha for giving their valuable time for making this Rally succesfull.
We hope next year we all together celebrate this day together with the colourful Rally.
Thanks and Regards
All the team of ATHB
ATHB
PRESENTS
SUPPORTER AND ACHIEVER
AWARD
2010
Supported By:
UNDP, Delhi
Date: 20th November, 2010
Time: 6.30 onwards
Venue: Rotary Sadan Hall
94/2, Chowringhee Road,
Kolkata-700020
Objective of Supporting Award: Who helped our Transgenders and Hijras community without thinking of any benefit from the community and they really love Transgenders and Hijras community. They think that these communities should also get their identity and recognition in the society. When others people/public/society were discriminating us at that time these people and organizations were standing beside us.
We got many help from them and still getting. Just because of them we are breathing fresh air in the peaceful environment. Today section 377 has gone (still case is in the Supreme Court) just because of their wonderful effort. This encouragement will really help our community in future.
Goal: If we will give Award and Honor to these Individuals and Organizations then these people will be encourage and when they will be share all these with others then others Individuals and Organizations will also think to support our community. They will also start thinking of our community as we are doing with them. In future they will also support us in our movement.
Dear All Friends/Colleagues/Supporters/ Well wishers and Members
This is the first time in India that any Association of Transgender/Hijra is organizing is such kind of Award Function for the Achiever and Supporter.
You are also requested to attend this program. It will encourage our community to work in a positive way.
You can contact Sanjay Ram-9830023153 for more details.
Regards
Secretariat
ATHB ( Association of Transgender/Hijra in Bengal)
Hello,
here our video against homophobia :
Thank You
Fred & Alex
Dear All,
Sub: Shameless and Redeculas incident phase in goverment Hospital Yestarday 11/7/2011
Further to my mail dated 9th & 10th July, 2011 we could not proceed with
…The treatment of Ms. Binni on Saturday and Sunday being a weekend and there
Was no service available from the Hospital?
Today when we went to SSKM Hospital and requested the concerned person to take care of her and also requested for urgent treatment, since her health condition was detoriating alarmingly within two days, when we tried to intervene in the hospital and seeking permission to admit her, though there was very heavy rush in the hospital at that time, at very moment the hospital authorities forcefully dragged me out of the concerned department and literally harassed me in front of the visiting crowds and used abusive(Regarding my sexuality and Identity) language and also insulted me a lot.
After the incident I personally went to Bhowanipore Police Station and lodged a GD No.AS 9T1 dt. 11.7.2011 at 2.55 pm against the concerned authorities of SSKM hospital, but till now no action has been taken yet.
I am writing this mail to draw attention to all my friends, funding agencies and stake-holders who are actively involved with the legal rights and most of them are doing their duties by making phone calls, most of them are mere spectators and don’t even show little bit of humanity towards the suffering patient. I am really shocked with the incident and could not even come out of the trauma of it and feeling very dejected and humiliated and in these condition, I don’t know how the poor Binni would be treated, since we are running out of the budget and have to bear the expenses from our own pocket, I don’t know how long can I fight against this mismanagement of the Health Department, but I will fight for her till my last breath.
Last but not the least, I like to mention that the agencies like NACO, SAPCS, UN agencies, Global Fund, NGOs, Network have been actively involved with the service of the health of HIV/AIDS etc where the above agencies should have certain guidelines to help the CBO, but I don’t find any proper guideline where help from these above mentioned agencies should be intervened, where as most of the cases any expenses which we bear.
We are not aware for your actual motive and also support you are entitled through which CBO’s like us will be benefited.
So we will give an ultimatum till 12afternoon tomorrow, if there is no intervention or remedy regarding the Binnis matter then we will protest in front of SWASTHA BHAWAN till with immediate effect.
Regards
Ranjit Sinha
Bandhan
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