Who decides what’s beautiful, if beauty is in the eye of the beholder? It’s boundless, it’s bold, it’s speaking your mind.

BY PALLAVI MAJUMDER PHOTOGRAPHY BY VINEET VASHISHT STYLING BY MITALI GOYAL

For decades, ‘born this way’ has been the rallying cry of gay rights movement, a slogan that underlines both political change and cultural acceptance. Gender is a human experience, which cannot be reduced to simplistic, reductive structures. As a society, we have come far in giving the LGBTQ community its rightful spot under the sun, but we have miles to go. The good news is that we are experiencing a cultural change in form of gender fluidity and recognition of binary existence. For our Beauty Special, we brought together some of the powerful voices behind this movement, who through their experiences and by living life on their own terms, are driving the change. As we cast spotlight on them, we witnessed them transform into beautiful swans.

Anurag Age: 26 Profession: Design Consultant

“Why is coming out even required. I mean we are who we are,” says Anurag. He belongs to Kota, Rajasthan, a small township, where homosexuality is a hushed word, even taboo. “I always knew I was different, not just about my sexuality but also how I expressed myself, my voice or my hand gestures. I studied in design school which was a liberal space with people from all spectrums of sexuality. They came from families that were accepting of them as opposed to where I had come from. College was the place where I figured myself out and decided how I want to be and who I want to be. I started taking necessary steps towards it by taking care of my finances. When you are the odd one out, you have to look after yourself, because no one else will.”

He recently came out to his family and it was not as bad as he had expected. Although his parents always felt he was not ‘normal’ and thought his sexuality was a phase. They realised later there was nothing they could do to alter his orientation.

“I feel coming out is a process and you have to keep doing it all your life to friends, family and strangers. One has to preserve themselves and their identity. Although now revoking section 377 will give queer people more visibility in public spaces without fear of being rebuked, he feels that bullying in work places, especially in a corporate setup is much more. He experienced it himself before quitting.

“I would like to say that they are welcoming to queer people but the reality is a stark contrast to expectations. A gay or a trans person can be singled out for being self-expressive. They are constantly jeered and glanced at for being flamboyant. It is difficult to tell your story to so many people and expect them to understand you and your orientation because we are a minority.”

Anurag is currently working as an independent fashion stylist and is happy that at his current work place people know him for who he is. “I try to tell people’s stories through clothes and also express myself with the help of it.”

Ajrakh, Rajesh Pratap Singh Jacket, Shivan and Narresh

Prateek Age: 25 Profession: Choreographer

Prateek identifies as a CIS gender, gay male and is a dancer by profession. He teaches dance to children and elderly women, choreographs for events and models at times in the day. Come night and he transitions into Betta Naan Stop, a fierce drag queen who enthralls the audience with his flawless splits. “I came out to my mother about a year ago. It was tough for me since I am very attached to her. I was a bit apprehensive of her reaction, but what she told me that day was very empowering to my existence. She said that it’s my life and I should decide who I would want to love.”

Prateek believes that once the families accept their child’s sexuality, there is not so much pressure, because we need them by our side at all times. He considers himself privileged to have a mother, who although is traditional in her values, was able to understand her son. But, not every coming out story is as positive “I know of friends who are over 30 and still closeted. The society is still traditional even if we claim to be modern in our thinking,” he says. Family fears the societal pressure and, neighbours and extended family aggravate this thought process. A lot of families are fine with homosexuality as long as it is not one of their own.

He was aware of his sexuality from his school days and had many friends from the community, but wasn’t exposed to the activism side of it. Prateek acknowledges that through drag, he has been fortunate to meet and interact with activists, who form a support system to those who are not as fortunate as himself. He now has taken it up on himself and wants to reach out to as many people who are having a hard time to come to terms with their sexualities.

Although homosexuality is no longer criminalised but it will take time for people to become non-judgmental, he feels. Prateek dreams that he will recreate the American musical Chicago one day with drags as leads and wants to portray Roxy Hart an aspiring vaudevillian and murderess. “I want to promote drag as an art form and want Indian drag queens to be represented internationally,” he says.

Blazer, Rajesh Pratap Singh Pants, Aartivijay Gupta Skirt, Pankaj & Nidhi

L’OFFICIEL

Taksh Age: 23 Profession: Independent Fashion Stylist

All of 23, she has walked the ramp for brands like Huemn and shattered the glass ceiling in an industry where being a non-binary is common but taking the center stage is not. She has been transitioning for over a year now and has successfully completed her gender-reassignment surgery.

“It was all a process. From a very young age, I was drawn to all things feminine. I would play with my mother’s sarees and don her jewellery and apply makeup. Although I have fairly liberal parents, it was hard to explain to them that I was not at home in my own body. Like any other urban middle class family society’s validation was mandate to them. I was a rebel from a very early age”

When she moved to Mumbai, she had by then come out as gay to his parents, who were accepting but could not understand his fascination to be a woman.

“It was hard to come out as a trans person, not only because I was not able to articulate what I was feeling in my body but also growing up as an effeminate child, one gets to hear things about oneself that is not very pleasant. Colloquially trans people are called names that could be detrimental to their being.”

In 2016, Taksh had a big fall in terms of education, career and his mental health. She expresses the time as ‘being in a bottomless pit’.

She explained to her parents that in essence, she felt like a woman and asked for their help in order to transition physically. This call for help sparked a lot of introspection for the family. A lot of her behaviour and emotional outbursts suddenly made more sense to her parents. They started seeking therapy, counseling and then hormone replacement and finally the gender reassignment surgery.

“It has been beautiful ever since, looking back at my life I can clearly see a very volatile and fragmented past. Cut to present day, for the very first time my body feels like home to me. There is a sense of comfort and calm. It is not just evident to me but also to my family and peers. This sense of contentment helps me to be kinder to the ones around me because I feel I have been kind to myself. I want to lead by example to my trans sisters and encourage them on their journey.”

Talking about her future, Taksh says, “I am not sure what the future holds, but now I look towards it with a lot of optimism than I did before.” She aspires to be like her role model, designer and fashion icon Iris Apfel at 80.

Gilet & skirt, Not so serious by Pallavi Mohan

L’OFFICIEL

Minakshi Age: 29 Profession: Singer

Minakshi identifies as a lesbian. As an army kid, she has travelled all over India and finally decided to call Delhi her home. In 2007 during her college, she figured her sexuality and came out to her family. “It was a gradual process. I wanted to give them time to understand me. I first came out to my brother and mother and eventually to my father. I am extremely lucky as a girl in today’s society that not only my family but also my extended family love and support me for who I am, and not just me they have also been very loving and kind to my partners over the years.”

Meenakshi knows of many women her age who have been forced to get married or are completely ostracised by their kin because of their choice of partner. She says that people in the music world also know her sexuality and know of her partner. She feels proud of it because she never felt the need to hide in the closet. “I have always been open about who I am and everyone should never feel the need to hide from facing their true self regardless of the fear of being shunned.”

Commenting on the verdict on section 377, she feels that although this will create a ripple of change, but the fight continues, both inside and outside the courtroom. She highlights that the LGBTQIA community still has not been granted marriage sanction and are not allowed to adopt children. She feels the good thing is that now queer people will no longer be called ‘psychologically ill’ and be subjected to moral cleansing.

Meenakshi says that there is a lot more to be done as a society. “We have to desensitise ourselves from the conditioning that ‘homosexuality is abnormal,” she says. We need to create safe spaces for people who are queer, to be accepted and heard and most importantly loved. “Love is a connection of the soul and gender doesn’t count it.”

She uses her music to heal and be healed. “I strive to free myself from the shackles of imposed beliefs and I survive. But my passion, art and ideas remain unchanged.”

Jacket, Aartivijay Gupta Top, Bodice Pants, Oshadi Heels, Christian Louboutin

L’OFFICIEL

Ben Age: 27 Profession: Poet

Ben is a demure femboy from Mizoram, a state rooted deeply in Christianity in the North East of India. Born into a Christian family, his gender remains an open secret till today, like a wound that neither festers nor heals but stays as a wound nonetheless. “I moved away from home to study in Delhi that gave me the liberty to exercise my choice in expressing my desired identity. I prefer being a ‘she’ here. It has been over a decade now since I moved and have been identifying as ‘she’ except during my short visits home. I could become a son as quickly as I can be your girlfriend or a sister. It’s perfect equilibrium. I have mastered the art of shifting from ‘he to she’ and vice versa.”

Ben says that back home in Mizoram, he felt oppressed by the patriarchs of the family, who were adamant to make him abide by societal hetero normative ideas. Although Ben has many friends from the community he could never get involved in activisms. “I know how vibrant and dynamic the community is and that one cannot run away from an identity concerning their own.” He feels neither attached nor detached to the community, but has always remained supportive.

Ben feels that section 377 never made any difference to his life because ‘what remains behind closed doors is for the ones behind the doors to figure’. But, he feels good that many of his friends who have live-in partners can finally be able to live in peace without being vulnerable to situations concerning section 377.

Ben wishes to make it big in the literary and fashion world and wants to tell his story through poetry.

Blazer, Rajesh Pratap Singh Loction Courtesy: Bentchair Studio Hair by: Blossom Kochhar college of creative arts and design (BKCCAD) Makeup by: MyGlamm