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2024

CURRENT ISSUE:

December: Parents, Teachers and CSE
Answering questions that children ask about sexuality can be a fraught experience for parents and teachers. And then adolescence brings even more complex concerns arising from the mesh of teenagers’ own experiences, their search for personhood and identity, stories they hear from their friends, mis/information gleaned from social media and Internet ‘research’, all blanketed under the societal taboo of not addressing issues of sexuality fearlessly and joyously. What do parents, teachers and other adults concerned about young people do? They may themselves not know enough and feel ill-prepared to share accurate information that would allow young people to take control and agency over their sexual and reproductive health and wellbeing. What are their resources for Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and what challenges do they face while implementing it? How can sexuality educators create Safe, Inclusive, and Self-Affirming (SISA) spaces to enable non-judgmental and open conversations about sexuality with young people? What are the new avenues of CSE, especially in the context of digital spaces and content creators? Is there space for sexuality educators to explore their own doubts and feelings about gender, sex, and sexuality? This issue of In Plainspeak explores CSE from the perspective of parents and teachers.

दिसंबर – अभिभावक, शिक्षक, और सी.इस.ई.
यौनिकता के बारे में बच्चों द्वारा पूछे जाने वाले प्रश्नों का उत्तर देना अभिभावकों और शिक्षकों के लिए एक कठिन अनुभव हो सकता है। किशोरावस्था और भी जटिल चिंताएँ लेकर आती है जो लोगों के अपने अनुभवों, उनके व्यक्तित्व और पहचान की खोज, उनके दोस्तों से सुनी गई कहानियों, एवं सोशल मीडिया और इंटरनेट ‘शोध’ से प्राप्त गलत/सूचना के मिश्रण से उत्पन्न होती हैं। ये सभी यौनिकता के मुद्दों को निडरता और ख़ुशी से संबोधित न करने की सामाजिक वर्जना के तहत ढकी हुई हैं। युवा लोगों के बारे में चिंतित अभिभावक, शिक्षक और अन्य वयस्क क्या कर सकते हैं? हो सकता है कि वे स्वयं पर्याप्त जानकारी न रखते हों और सटीक जानकारी साझा करने के लिए तैयार न हों – जो युवा लोगों को उनके यौन और प्रजनन स्वास्थ्य और ख़ुशहाली पर नियंत्रण और एजेंसी लेने की अनुमति देगी। व्यापक यौनिकता शिक्षा (CSE) के लिए लोगों के संसाधन क्या हैं और इसे लागू करते समय उन्हें किन चुनौतियों का सामना करना पड़ता है? यौनिकता शिक्षक युवा लोगों के साथ यौनिकता के बारे में गैर-आलोचनात्मक और खुली बातचीत को सक्षम करने के लिए सुरक्षित, समावेशी और आत्म-पुष्टि के अनुकूल (SISA) स्थान कैसे बना सकते हैं? CSE के नए रास्ते क्या हैं, ख़ासकर डिजिटल दुनिया और ऑनलाइन कंटेंट क्रिएटर्स (सामग्री निर्माता) के संदर्भ में? क्या यौनिकता शिक्षकों के लिए जेंडर, सेक्स और यौनिकता के बारे में अपनी शंकाओं और भावनाओं को समझने के लिए जगह है? इन प्लेनस्पीक का यह अंक अभिभावकों और शिक्षकों के नज़रिए से सी.एस.ई. को देखेगा।

UPCOMING ISSUES: 

2025

January: Anthology Issue
February-March: Consent and Sexuality
April-May: Masculinities and Sexuality
June-July: Language and Sexuality
August-September: Climate Change and Sexuality

PREVIOUS ISSUES:

October & November: Gender and Sexuality
It is a common tendency to confuse sex for gender and gender for sex, to think of them as synonyms and use the terms interchangeably. This gets compounded when we add sexuality to the mix. The distinctions between the biological and the sociological get blurred, obliterating the complex processes and identities that the umbrella terms ‘gender’ and ‘sexuality’ cover. Gender and sexuality are certainly related, but they are different as well. The ‘inextricable’ link between the two is a societal construction that aims to simplify and control them by dividing them across an artificial binary that does not hold true in the lived realities of actual breathing, feeling, acting individuals. How is gender experienced, expressed, performed and regulated, and how can we look at it beyond the binary, especially in conjunction with sexuality? What are the ways in which gender inequality and sexism affect women as well as other marginalised groups, especially in the context of sexuality and sexual and reproductive health and rights? How do power and privilege play out in the realm/s of gender and sexuality? How important are safe, inclusive, and self-affirming spaces when it comes to the intersections of gender and sexuality? In this issue of In Plainspeak, we will look at all this and more.

अक्टूबर और नवंबर – जेंडर और यौनिकता
सेक्स को जेंडर और जेंडर को सेक्स मानना, उन्हें समानार्थी समझना और उनका अदल-बदल उपयोग करना एक आम प्रवृत्ति है। जब हम इसमें यौनिकता को जोड़ देते हैं तो यह और भी जटिल हो जाता है। जैविक और सामाजिक के बीच के अंतर धुंधले हो जाते हैं, जिससे पेचीदा प्रक्रियाएँ और पहचानें मिट जाती हैं जिन्हें ‘जेंडर’ और ‘यौनिकता’ शब्द व्यक्त करते हैं। जेंडर और यौनिकता निश्चित रूप से संबंधित हैं, लेकिन वे अलग भी हैं। दोनों के बीच का ‘अविभाज्य’ जोड़ एक सामाजिक निर्माण है जिसका उद्देश्य उन्हें एक कृत्रिम बाइनरी में विभाजित करके सरल बनाना और नियंत्रित करना है जो वास्तविक सांस लेने, महसूस करने, आम लोगों की वास्तविकताओं से मेल नहीं खाता है। जेंडर का अनुभव, अभिव्यक्ति, प्रदर्शन और विनियमन कैसे किया जाता है, और हम इसे द्विआधारी ढांचे से बाहर कैसे देख सकते हैं, ख़ासकर यौनिकता के साथ? जेंडर असमानता और लैंगिकतावाद महिलाओं के साथ-साथ अन्य हाशिए पर जी रहे समूहों को किस तरह प्रभावित करते हैं, ख़ासकर यौनिकता और यौन एवं प्रजनन स्वास्थ्य और अधिकारों के संदर्भ में? जेंडर और यौनिकता के क्षेत्र में सत्ता और विशेषाधिकार कैसे काम करते हैं? जेंडर और यौनिकता के बीच के अंतरसंबंधों की बात करें तो सुरक्षित, समावेशी और आत्म-पुष्टि करने वाले स्थान कितने महत्वपूर्ण हैं? इन प्लेनस्पीक के इस अंक में हम इन सभी और अन्य बातों पर नज़र डालेंगे।

August & September: Workplaces and Sexuality
An office, a farm, a factory, a house, a brothel, a film studio, a digital platform – any of these and more, could be a workplace. They are places where work is done and they are also places where friendships are struck up, romances bloom, break-ups happen, harassment and violence occur. Sexuality may be accepted, celebrated, derided, embraced, exploited, and/or villainised (add your own words here) in workplaces. For some, they may be a place where people can be their authentic selves, for some they may be a refuge from violence at home, and for some others they may be a mundane ordeal to endure in return for a regular salary. Just as much as workplaces can provide a sense of camaraderie, they can also highlight and heighten disparities based on class, caste, gender and sexual expression and identity, religion, disability, and other factors. How are workplaces and sexuality connected and how do we navigate power, agency and consent in them? What makes a workplace safe, inclusive and self-affirming? At the basic physical level, are our needs taken into account – be it safe-to-use toilets for everyone, accessible ramps, or security systems for workers? At a socio-emotional level, how are people treated? Do diversity, equity and inclusion exist only as policies or do they manifest in hiring, retention, promotion and recognition/reward practices? In this issue of In Plainspeak we explore these and other questions about the positive possibilities of workplaces in connection with sexuality.

अगस्त और सितम्बर – कार्यस्थल और यौनिकता
एक कार्यालय, एक खेत, एक कारख़ाना, एक घर, एक वेश्यालय, एक फ़िल्म स्टूडियो, एक डिजिटल प्लेटफ़ॉर्म – इनमें से कोई भी या और कुछ, एक कार्यस्थल हो सकता है। ये ऐसे स्थान हैं जहाँ काम किया जाता है और ये ऐसे स्थान भी हैं जहाँ दोस्ती होती है, रोमांस पनपता है, ब्रेक-अप होता है, उत्पीड़न और हिंसा होती है। कार्यस्थलों में यौनिकता को स्वीकार किया जा सकता है, उसका जश्न मनाया जा सकता है और उसे अपनाया जा सकता है। इसके विपरीत, यौनिकता का उपहास किया जा सकता है, उसके कारन शोषण किया जा सकता है और बदनाम किया जा सकता है। कुछ लोगों के लिए, कार्यस्थल एक ऐसी जगह हो सकती हैं जहाँ लोग अपना कोई भी पहलू बिना छुपाय आने की स्वतंत्रता महसूस करते हैं, कुछ के लिए वे घर पर हो रही हिंसा से कुछ देर तक राहत दे सकती हैं, और कुछ अन्य लोगों के लिए वे नियमित वेतन के बदले में सहन करने के लिए एक सांसारिक ज़िम्मेदारी हैं जिसे झेलना ज़रूरी है। जिस तरह से कार्यस्थल सौहार्द की भावना प्रदान कर सकते हैं, उसी तरह वे वर्ग, जाति, लिंग और यौन अभिव्यक्ति और पहचान, धर्म, विकलांगता और अन्य कारकों के आधार पर असमानताओं को उजागर कर और बढ़ा सकते हैं। कार्यस्थल और यौनिकता कैसे जुड़े हुए हैं और हम उनमें सत्ता, स्वायत्तता और सहमति को कैसे समझते हैं? एक कार्यस्थल को सुरक्षित, समावेशी और आत्म-पुष्टि (SISA) करने वाला कैसे बनाया जा सकता है? बुनियादी शारीरिक स्तर पर, क्या हमारी ज़रूरतों को ध्यान में रखा जाता है – चाहे वह सभी के लिए सुरक्षित शौचालय हो, सुलभ रैंप हो या काम करते लोगों के लिए सुरक्षा व्यवस्था हो? सामाजिक-भावनात्मक स्तर पर, कार्यस्थल में लोगों के साथ कैसा व्यवहार किया जाता है? क्या विविधता, समानता और समावेशन केवल नीतियों के रूप में मौजूद हैं या वे नियुक्ति, प्रतिधारण, पदोन्नति और मान्यता/पुरस्कार प्रथाओं में प्रकट होते हैं? इन प्लेनस्पीक के इस अंक में हम यौनिकता के संबंध में कार्यस्थलों की सकारात्मक संभावनाओं के बारे में इन और अन्य सवालों का पता लगाने वाले हैं।

June & July – Queering as a Way of Life
Not just an adjective but also a verb, an action, a doing word, to ‘queer’ something is to put it out of alignment with existing normative frameworks and envision transformative new modes of being and existing together. What can and does queering mean in terms of lived realities? How do people ‘queer’ their daily lives in overt and covert ways? What role can queering play in dismantling structures of politics, power, and privilege? How does the idea of a spectrum go beyond binaries that continue to define gender and sexual identity and expression, or romantic and sexual attraction, to include and embrace transgender, non-binary, aromantic, asexual, and other experiences that reject labels? How do we queer and redefine kinships in terms of dating, found families, friendships, parenting, and other relationships? What kinds of safe, inclusive, and self-affirming spaces let us explore and nurture queering as a way of life to the fullest? How can the crucial spaces where we spend a lot of time – our families, educational institutions, workplaces – themselves be queered, and also support queering? In this issue of In Plainspeak, we look at how queering radically manifests in various arenas of our lives.

जून और जुलाई – ‘क्वीयरीकरण’ – एक जीवन शैली
किसी चीज़ का ‘क्वीयरीकरण’ करने का मतलब है उसे पुरानी सामाजिक रूढ़ियों से आज़ाद करते हुए उसके होने और उसे अपनाने के नए तरीक़ों की कल्पना करना। इसलिए, ‘क्वीयर’ सिर्फ़ एक विशेषण नहीं, एक क्रिया – एक कार्य – भी है। लोगों की असल ज़िंदगी में इसका क्या मतलब हो सकता है? हम प्रत्यक्ष और अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से अपने दैनिक जीवन को ‘क्वीयर’ कैसे बना सकते हैं? राजनीति, सत्ता, और विशेषाधिकार पर बने सामाजिक ढांचे गिराने में ‘क्वीयरीकरण’ की क्या भूमिका हो सकती है? एक बाइनरी, यानी द्विआधारी, सोच से निकलते हुए हम जेंडर और यौनिकता को कैसे एक ‘स्पेक्ट्रम’ की तरह देख सकते हैं जिसमें ट्रांसजेंडर, नॉन-बाइनरी, ग़ैर-रोमांटिक, ग़ैर-यौनिक के साथ ऐसी तमाम पहचानें और अनुभव शामिल हैं जो किसी नाम या परिभाषा में सीमित नहीं रहना चाहतीं? किस तरह के सुरक्षित, समावेशी, और आत्मपुष्टी-अनुकूल (SISA) स्थान हमें एक जीवन शैली के रूप में ‘क्वीयरीकरण’ का अनुभव दिला सकते हैं? हम जिन स्थानों में अपना ज़्यादातर समय बीताते हैं (जैसे घर, शैक्षणिक संस्थान, कार्यस्थल) उनका ‘क्वीयरीकरण’ कैसे किया जा‌ सकता‌ है और उस प्रक्रिया में इनका क्या योगदान हो सकता है? इन प्लेनस्पीक के इस अंक में हम देखेंगे कि किस तरह ‘क्वीयरीकरण’ हमारी ज़िंदगी के अलग-अलग हिस्सों में ख़ुद को प्रकट करता है।

April & May – The Pandemic and Sexuality
The global COVID-19 pandemic, beginning early 2020, has transformed the way we live and our connections with ourselves and others. While mask mandates, quarantines, and lockdowns may now be things of the past, they still remain vivid in memory and the complications from Long COVID as well as the variants of the virus continue. The pandemic brought health and wellbeing to the forefront of everyone’s concerns and increased already present societal inequalities, especially when it came to healthcare access and rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights. It also highlighted disparities in the digital world and online spaces for human interaction. How did we navigate and understand gender and sexuality during the lockdowns? How did the pandemic affect the domestic space vis-à-vis gender roles and invisible labour? Physical distancing and isolation posed multiple challenges when it came to friendships, dating and other relationships. Did the pandemic lead to a reinvention of desire, intimacy and pleasure, bringing in alternate modes of connection? What did we learn about self-care and collective care, in the light of people work and hybrid workplaces? In this issue of In Plainspeak, we seek to highlight what we have learned about resilience and the human spirit from the pandemic and its many after-effects, especially around sexuality, SRHR and wellbeing.

अप्रैल और मई – कोविड महामारी और यौनिकता
2020 में शुरु हुई कोविड-19 महामारी ने ज़िंदगी और आपसी रिश्तों की ओर हमारा नज़रिया पूरी तरह से बदल दिया है। भले ही क्वारंटाइन और लॉकडाउन अब नहीं होते और मास्क पहनना भी ज़रूरी नहीं रहा, फिर भी वो वक़्त हमें आज भी याद आता है। इस वायरस के अलग-अलग प्रकार (वेरियंट) और ‘लॉंग कोविड’ की दिक़्क़तों से हम आज भी जूझ रहे हैं। इस महामारी के चलते हमने सेहत और ख़ुशहाली पर गंभीरता से बात करना शुरु किया। महामारी के दौरान हमने अपनी आंखों के सामने सामाजिक असमानताओं को बढ़ते हुए देखा। हमें नज़र आने लगा कि स्वास्थ्य सेवाएं और अधिकार आज भी कितने लोगों के पास नहीं है, ख़ासकर जब बात यौनिक और प्रजनन स्वास्थ्य की हो। इस दौरान हमने डिजिटल दुनिया और ऑनलाइन माध्यमों में ग़ैर-बराबरी पर बात को बढ़ावा दिया। लॉकडाउन के दौरान जेंडर और यौनिकता के मुद्दों को हमने किस तरह समझा? घर के अंदर जेंडर भूमिकाओं और श्रम की भागीदारी पर महामारी का क्या असर रहा? शारीरिक दूरी (फ़िज़िकल डिस्टैंसिंग) और अकेले रहने का दोस्ती, डेटिंग, और अन्य रिश्तों पर क्या प्रभाव था? क्या कोविड के दौरान हमने नाते जोड़ने के नए-नए तरीक़े अपनाने के साथ-साथ वासना, अंतरंगता, और आनंद को एक नए नज़रिये से देखना सीखा? इस दौरान ‘पीप्ल वर्क’ और ‘हाइब्रिड’ कार्यस्थलों के संदर्भ में हमने आत्म-देखभाल और सामूहिक देखभाल के बारे में क्या सीखा? इन प्लेनस्पीक के इस अंक में हम लोगों के आत्मबल की क्षमता और मुश्किलों से जूझने की क़ाबिलियत पर चर्चा करेंगे। साथ ही हम कोविड के संदर्भ में यौनिकता, यौनिक और प्रजनन स्वास्थ्य और अधिकार, और ख़ुशहाली पर भी बात करेंगे।

February & March – Entertainment and Sexuality
While the primary purpose of entertainment might be to interest and amuse people, entertainment goes beyond merely being a mode of recreation. It influences social mores and norms just as much as it is influenced by them, factoring in play, pleasure, desire and fantasy. Through various mediums, entertainment can both subvert and reinforce stereotypes about certain individuals and communities. Popular or mainstream entertainment, by virtue of being made for mass appeal, can erase nuance, but it can also be a great sensitisation tool. Additionally, audience members also get a chance to participate in the process of meaning-making whether it be through fandom discussions or creating fan fiction. Alternatively, sexuality itself can be a form of entertainment, for example, drag, burlesque, peep shows, etc. What are acceptable modes of entertainment? How are they gendered and validated based on an individual’s social location? How has technology and the internet changed the ways in which we create and consume entertainment? Beyond token representation, how can we queer the idea and forms of entertainment? How can entertainment be used to disseminate rights-based and pleasure-affirming content on sexuality and SRHR, particularly Comprehensive Sexuality Education? In this issue of In Plainspeak, we examine how entertainment and sexuality are connected.

फ़रवरी और मार्च – मनोरंजन और यौनिकता
मनोरंजन का मक़सद हमारा मन बहलाना तो ज़रूर है लेकिन ये सिर्फ़ इसी तक सीमित नहीं होता। ये काफ़ी हद तक सामाजिक नियमों और मानदंडों के निर्माण में सहयोग देता है और बदले में इनसे प्रभावित भी होता है, ख़ासतौर पर जब बात आनंद, इच्छा, और फ़ैंटसी की होती है। मनोरंजन अलग-अलग माध्यमों के ज़रिए विशेष तबकों के लोगों के बारे में प्रचलित धारणाओं को बढ़ावा देने या उन्हें दूर करने की ताक़त रखता है। मुख्यधारा का मनोरंजन लोगों को संवेदनशील बनाने में मदद कर सकता है लेकिन अक्सर ज़रूरी मुद्दों की बारीकियां ये ढंग से नहीं दर्शा पाता है। कई बार यौनिकता ख़ुद मनोरंजन का माध्यम बन सकती है। समाज में मनोरंजन के किन माध्यमों को मान्यता दी जाती है? किसी के सामाजिक स्थान का इससे आमतौर पर क्या संबंध रहता है? इंटरनेट और तकनीकी विकास ने मनोरंजन के निर्माण और प्रसार को किस तरह से बदला है? प्रतीकवाद (tokenism) के अलावा मनोरंजन के माध्यमों में क्वीयरता लाने के और क्या तरीक़े अपनाए जा सकते हैं? मनोरंजन के माध्यम से व्यापक यौनिकता शिक्षा पर आधारित, यौनिक और प्रजनन स्वास्थ्य और अधिकारों से जुड़े आनंद-सकारात्मक, अधिकार-आधारित संदेश कैसे फैलाए जा सकते हैं? इन प्लेनस्पीक के इस अंक में हम मनोरंजन और यौनिकता के बीच संबंध पर चर्चा करेंगे।

January – Anthology Issue
Happy New Year! May 2024 bring all of us joy and peace! In December 2023, we celebrated ten years of In Plainspeak’s digital avatar and realised anew the importance of nurturing spaces where one can discuss sexuality in a pleasure-affirming, rights-based manner while prioritising joy and wellbeing without any judgement and shame. In an increasingly violent world where space for dialogue is shrinking, it is even more crucial to celebrate the safe and inclusive pocket-worlds that allow people to be themselves and fearlessly explore their identities. And so, for the 2024 anthology issue of In Plainspeak, we have curated a selection of previously published articles that explore the intersections of play, desire, pleasure and sexuality.

2023

November & December – Digital Spaces and Sexuality
Digital spaces influence our sense of self, our relationships with our bodies, our gender and sexual identities, and the ways in which we express our desires, be it on social media, dating apps, online forums, and virtual communities, to name just a few. The digital world allows for articulations of hidden intimacies and fantasies as well as global solidarities. What are the subversive and liberatory potentials of digital spaces in the context of sexuality, despite escalating concerns around privacy, agency, anonymity, consent, and surveillance? How do politico-legal frameworks police sexuality online? How does a lack of equitable resources affect people’s access to the digital world? In the ‘real world’, certain intersections of identities make us more vulnerable to marginalisation, bigotry and abuse. How does the digital world replicate these real-world inequalities and yet encourage us to be our authentic selves? What roles do digital spaces play in feminist and queer activism around sexuality, especially when improving access to information, tools and resources? As we mark 10 years of In Plainspeak going online, these (and other) questions lead us to examine the importance of safe, inclusive and self-affirming digital spaces in our lives, especially with regard to sexuality, sexual and reproductive rights, and wellbeing.

डिजिटल दुनिया और यौनिकता
डिजिटल दुनिया का असर हमारे आत्मबोध, अपने शरीर के साथ हमारे रिश्ते, हमारी यौनिक और जेंडर पहचान, और सोशल मीडिया, डेटिंग ऐप्स, और ऑनलाइन समूहों में अपनी चाहतें ज़ाहिर करने के तरीक़ों पर पड़ता है। इंटरनेट हमें अपने छिपे अंतरंग ख़्याल और ख़्वाब बयां करने और दुनियाभर के लोगों से जुड़कर उनसे सौहार्द और सहानुभूति के रिश्ते बनाने का मौक़ा देता है। आज डेटा प्राइवेसी, स्वायत्तता, गोपनीयता, सहमति, और सरकारी या निजी संस्थाओं द्वारा निगरानी से जुड़ी चिंताओं के ज़माने में भी ये डिजिटल माध्यम यौनिकता के संदर्भ में सशक्तिकरण और वर्त्तमान सामाजिक व्यवस्था को चुनौती देने का ज़रिया कैसे बन सकते हैं? राजनीतिक-क़ानूनी व्यवस्थाएं इंटरनेट पर यौनिकता की अभिव्यक्तियों को किस तरह दबाए रखतीं हैं? संसाधनों के वितरण में ग़ैर-बराबरी डिजिटल दुनिया से जुड़ने में लोगों को कैसे रोकती है? ‘हक़ीक़त’ में पहचान के अलग-अलग अंतर्विभाग हमें हाशिए की ओर ढकेल देते हैं जिससे हमारे ख़िलाफ़ द्वेष और हिंसा का ख़तरा बढ़ जाता है। डिजिटल दुनिया में भी ‘असली दुनिया’ की ये असमानताएं किस तरह प्रचलित हैं,‌ और इसके बावजूद ये जगह हमें अपनी असली पहचान व्यक्त करने के लिए कैसे प्रोत्साहित करती है? यौनिकता से जुड़े नारीवादी और क्वीयर आंदोलन में डिजिटल माध्यमों की क्या भूमिका रही है, ख़ासकर जब बात हर किसी तक जानकारी, उपकरण, और संसाधन पहुंचाने की हो? इन प्लेनस्पीक के ऑनलाइन होने के दस साल पूरे होने के मौक़े पर हम इन सवालों (और कई और सवालों) पर ग़ौर करते हुए सुरक्षित, समावेशी, और आत्मपुष्टी को बढ़ावा देने वाले डिजिटल माध्यमों की ज़रूरत पर नज़र डालेंगे, ख़ासकर यौनिकता, यौनिक और प्रजनन अधिकारों, और ख़ुशहाली के संदर्भ में।

September & October – Fashion and Sexuality
From codpieces and corsets to thongs and navel piercings, fashion is influenced by socio-cultural and sartorial norms. It is not restricted to attire – clothing, footwear, and accessories – but also encompasses hairstyle, makeup, posture, and body modification. It is not uniform and does not necessarily only cover what’s trending or popular. Diverse competing or complementary strands make up the warp and weft of fashion in the mainstream and conterculture/s. And so, the manner in which individuals choose to tailor or fashion themselves becomes a crucial marker of their identity, beliefs and self-expression, acting consciously and/or unconsciously as a signifier of the intersections they occupy. Fashion, therefore, assumes the bespoke role of signalling support for the status quo or staging a struggle against it. How does fashion reinforce and challenge gendered norms? What part does it play when it comes to beauty ideals and regulation of bodies? How do individuals navigate the dynamic process of self-fashioning to embody the politics of a certain aesthetic? How does fashion provide a frame for the playing out of body politics? What makes the process of dressing up or down joyful and self-affirming? In this issue of In Plainspeak, we will weave together some of these connecting threads between fashion and sexuality.

August – Comprehensive Sexuality Education
My breasts are too large, my penis is too small, kissing leads to pregnancy, nocturnal emissions cause weakness, you are impure during your period… How many of us grew up feeling confused and frightened by these misconceptions? Today, despite, or even because of, the Internet, many young and not-so-young people still do not have access to accurate information about sexuality. This leads to low self-esteem, unsafe sexual behaviour, unwanted pregnancy, and sexual violence, to name only a few possible consequences of a lack of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). Being misunderstood as ‘teaching children how to have sex’ or as giving them ‘licence to experiment’, CSE is viewed with mistrust and fear. The truth is that it not only provides knowledge but also empowers young people to exercise agency and make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health. Unfortunately, CSE curricula are neither uniform nor adequately implemented. How might this be overcome? In today’s expanding world, what should CSE cover so that young people’s diverse needs are met? What are some common challenges that CSE educators face and how can they be resolved? What would non-judgmental, affirming comprehensive sexuality education look like for people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expression, and sex characteristics? Who is best placed to provide this education? How can new mediums and formats be used for this purpose? In this issue of In Plainspeak, we will explore this and much more.

July – Food and Sexuality
Be it pasta, payasam, or puris, it is the magical mélange of flavours and textures that makes for a memorable meal. Delectable, seductive, sinful, tantalising, bewitching – many of the words used to describe food-related experiences and sensations are akin to those used for sexual ones. It is not surprising, because eating and sexuality are universal and the subject of pleasure is common to both. Practices to do with food as well as sexuality vary across cultures and evolve over time. Yet, concepts of pollution, adulteration, and defilement, especially in cultures like ours, persist. Many Indian homes have strict rules about the preparation and consumption of food as they do about whom one may commingle with, whether at the table or in bed. Concepts of abstinence, moderation, and excess apply to both food and sexuality, evoking a complex mix of emotions ranging from the joyful to the horrific, including anxiety, disgust, fear and revulsion. Today, feeding on people’s anxieties and aspirations, diet-culture and food-shaming influence our relationship with food, our bodies, and our sexuality, leading us to forget that both food and sexuality can be important sources of pleasure and self-care. This issue of In Plainspeak will explore the perils and pleasures to be found in the potpourri of food and sexuality.

June – Body and Sexuality
The body has never had one solitary meaning throughout human history. Just to shine a light on some of its complex facets – it is a material body requiring daily sustenance; an anatomical body susceptible to disease and death; a sensual body able to feel pleasure, pain, and everything in between; a social body marked by attributes like gender, race and class; a cultural body that is a repository for ritual, habit and memory; a political body that demands rights; and, a body that is not only a medium that facilitates sex itself but also a site where sexuality is enacted. It is a tangible physical entity as well as a philosophical construct. As an accurate or misread marker of identity, it impacts how sexuality plays out. How can the body be both the focus of violence as well as a site of resistance against it? In what ways is it linked to desire and pleasure? How are bodies – especially marginalised, subaltern bodies – policed, and how do individuals assert themselves in self-affirming ways? How does pop culture and media, together with societal norms, construct and/or deconstruct bodies? How do popular ideals about body image, ability, and gender identity help or hinder taking control of sexual and reproductive health and rights? In an increasingly digital age, how are bodies inscribed in virtual spaces and in what ways is this process both freeing and limiting? In this issue of In Plainspeak, we seek to explore these and other topics around the body and sexuality.

May – Humour and Sexuality
We like to believe that humour is personal, but it is also shaped by societal beliefs and prejudices. It reflects the attitudes of those who make the jokes and those who laugh at them. What tickles our sense of humour differs from person to person, based on our location across various intersections. Humour is a potent medium of communication and it can be used negatively to punch down minorities, attack disenfranchised groups, and alienate individuals. Humour about sex, sexuality, gender, and reproduction is a slippery slope. That being said, humour is a great way to explore anxieties and insecurities. It brings people together through shared laughter and play. It breaks silences and builds affinities and alliances. It is a reliable source of joy and pleasure. Humour, by reflecting the absurdity of human pettiness and prejudices, can be a subversive tool to resist and challenge dominant narratives of sexuality. How can we joke about sex and sexuality in a way that is affirming of our pleasures and rights? Is it possible to be funny and politically correct? Where do we draw the line, and who do we consider, in the context of what may be offensive/insensitive and what is not? In what ways can humour be effectively used to talk about sexuality and related subjects in a way that is fun and funny without being facile? In the May issue of In Plainspeak, we further explore some of these and other ideas about Humour and Sexuality.

April – Sports and Sexuality
Sports and athletics create a versatile space that enables the constant construction of social identities through bodily performance and presentation of participants as well as spectators. However, by way of their categories, they demarcate the boundary of male and female in terms of sex, and of masculine and feminine in terms of gender where only binaries exist. Outwardly objective processes set eligibility criteria, performance benchmarks, and even “appropriate” dress. Certain expectations of an “ideal” man/woman and male/female athlete are set. A tussle between tradition and modernity also plays out wherein it opens up the possibility of movement into the public space for those who have been restricted to the domestic and challenges rigid understandings of sex, sexuality, gender. Sports and athletics can aid us in discovering ourselves, expressing our sexuality, and building connections to cross barriers. While they may be a platform for showcasing diversity, sportspersons can face discrimination and bigotry from teammates and audiences. In what ways are they shaped by, and themselves shape, the public imagination? How do cultural norms and power relations play out vis-à-vis sexualisation, vulnerability, and harassment? How do we tap into the potential for fellowship, joy, and self-discovery that sports offer? Finally, what spaces do they provide for self-affirming, enjoyable sexuality? This issue of In Plainspeak explores how sexuality may be curtailed or find expression within the domain of sports and athletics.

March – Narratives and Sexuality
Narratives comprise and inform our existence. They take shape from and influence culture, society, polity, history and individuals. There are narratives that have sexuality at their core and there are ones in which it’s rippling somewhere beneath the surface. The dominant narratives founded and/or perpetuated by popular culture and media, influence and often dictate how discourses around sexuality are perceived and, in turn, (re)produced. These are punctuated, and sometimes disrupted, by personal narratives, legal reforms and mass movements that not only circumvent or challenge set codes and conceptions of sexuality but also open up spaces for constructive reformulations. They may also lead to the reclaiming of narratives of sexualities that have been dismissed or sullied through patriarchal disbelief and ignorance. While some narratives can affect our mental health and overall well-being, others can help us cope with the fault-lines of sexuality. How do we narrativise sexuality in empowering, rights-based and pleasure-affirming ways? How can narratives help in creating inclusive and safe spaces, especially in relation to understanding and expressing our sexualities in a pluralistic manner? This month’s issue of In Plainspeak attempts to probe into these questions by focusing on the manifold connections and conflations of sexuality and narratives.

February – Accessibility and Sexuality
In a densely stratified society like India, the accessibility of public services (including healthcare), information, pleasure, amenities, and, even necessities, is heavily restricted by the combination of the markers of gender, caste, class, sexual orientation, body type, and disability that continually act upon our existence throughout our lives in varying permutations and combinations. Which social grid we inhabit and our position in it also often determines what and how we feel, what we can (afford to) disconnect from and when, and even the feelings of anxiety, stress, worry that may be caused by factors beyond our control. This influences the spaces, services and mediums of knowledge that are accessible to us (and our perceptions of them), the ways in which we express our sexualities, and how we interact with other people as well as the material world. How do we find or acquire the agency and the strength to make place for ourselves and our sexuality? This issue of In Plainspeak focuses on the multi-polar connections between accessibility and sexuality to understand and explicate the conditions that, in varying degrees, foster, allow or obstruct us from expressing and exploring sexuality in our own ways and building safe, inclusive, and self-affirming spaces.

January – Anthology issue
A new year is an invitation to experience more of life, of hope, love and laughter. That’s what we wish each of you, dear readers. We have curated this anthology to remind you and ourselves of the gift and wonder of possibilities – the openings that seemingly random events offer us, the happy endings that difficult experiences sometimes lead to, the serendipity that we occasionally stumble upon and savour. And it is in this spirit that we have made a special selection from our treasure trove of In Plainspeak articles for our 2023 anthology issue.

2013

December – Sexual Rights

2014

January – Queer Rights

February – Consent and Coercion 

March – Women

April – Safe Abortion

May – Body Image

June – Law and Sexuality

July – Art and Activism

August – Disability and Sexuality

September – Sports and Sexuality

October – Popular Media and Sexuality

November –  Mobility and Sexuality

December –  Anniversary Issue                                                             

2015

January – Music, Dance and Sexuality

February – Comprehensive Sexuality Education

March – Women and Sexuality

April – Mental Health and Sexuality

May – Family and Sexuality

June –  The Body and Sexuality

July – Technology and Sexuality

August – Let’s Talk Sexuality

September – The Post-2015 Development Agenda, and Sexuality

October – Food, Drink and Sexuality

November – Feminism and Sexuality

December – HIV and Sexuality

2016

January – Humour and Sexuality 

February – Love and Sexuality

March – Travel and Sexuality

April – Sex Work and Sexuality

May – Relationships and Sexuality

June – Work and Sexuality

July – Science and Sexuality

August – Attire and Sexuality

September – Migration and Sexuality

October – Parenting and Sexuality

November – Fantasy and Sexuality 

December – People’s Movements and Sexuality

2017

January – Films and Sexuality
Cinema is an influential medium, through which a lot of important ideas and beliefs can be articulated and internalised. The patterns of behavior we see on screen are what we often subsconsciously repeat in our daily lives, and so, the representations of sexuality we see on this medium also play a major role in informing our personal engagements with sexuality. Whether it’s through the way sex is portrayed, or through the way the female body is either given agency or eroded of agency, or the way queer individuals are represented – films are a reflection of culture and society, and by extension, the way society perceives aspects of sexuality. This month’s issue of In Plainspeak engages with these questions, and attempts to map the relationship between sexuality and cinema, and how this relationship affects the audience consuming it.

February – Self Care and Sexuality
Though it might seem innocuous, but the act of caring for oneself is innately feminist. Self-care involves an understanding of the self (which expands to both one’s body and sexuality) and an acceptance of it, which are both radical in a culture that seems to police or add undue pressure on physical and emotional manifestations of the self. Self-care is as much about developing bodily autonomy as much it is about psychological wellbeing, and is as much about learning to develop confidence and agency in one’s sexuality as much it is about physical health. This month’s issue of In Plainspeak takes an introspective look these processes function, and how self-care influences the way in which we experience and express sexuality and body image.      

March –  Marriage and Sexuality
While on the one hand, marriage can be a celebration of love, commitment and sexuality, on the other, it can be an inherently oppressive institution. Marriage has been traditionally romanticised as a spiritually pure union between two souls, but it isn’t always the ‘bed of roses’ that it is meant to signify. In fact, when seen through a critical lens, one might find structures of patriarchy, heteronormativity, class and caste running rife within it. But with changing societal norms, marriages can also evolve from its conventionalism into an empowering, positive and equal partnership. This month’s issue of In Plainspeak explores these dichotomies that are intrinsic to marriage, tackling topics ranging from the question of choice (or the lack thereof), to gender roles, to same-sex marriage, and more.

April –  Boundaries and Sexuality
Drawing lines are useful in defining ideas; boundaries of personal space help keep us secure from unwanted advances, boundaries of privacy help cultivate our creativity and thought, boundaries of age aid us in determining the right kind of nourishment to give young ones or the attention and care to give to those who are ageing. There are also times when boundaries can limit us; discrimination can turn into discrimination against, and the lines that helped us mark meaning in our world can hinder accessibility, opportunity, and growth. In Plainspeak’s April issue examines boundaries both real and imagined in their influence on sexuality.

May –  Money and Sexuality
How does having money, wanting money, and using money play into how we express our sexuality? Can money buy us sexual satisfaction or professional satisfaction? Can it help our self-esteem and body image? How does money make sex work, and what relationship does sex work have with money? How do aspects of our sexualityinfluence our ties to money? When money can influence the trajectory of our lives, In Plainspeak’s May issue ventures to ask how this currency interacts with our sexuality.

June –  Internet and Sexuality
The ‘virtual’ world and the ‘real’ world no longer simply co-exist, they flow seamlessly as part of each other. The internet has grown more than its initial accompaniment to the IRL (in real life) expression and politics of sexuality. Our online presence now informs our sexual, social and intellectual lives as much as any other form of interaction. The June issues of In Plainspeak explores the intersections of worlds and personas in the landscape of human sexuality.

July –  Communities and Sexuality
There are communities we actively choose and create, and there are those whose associations with us we spend our lifetimes investigating. They say we can’t choose our families but we can choose our friends. While that may be true or not, what influences do aspects of community and sexuality have upon each other? How do they define us as individuals apart from and together as parts of a society? This and more in In Plainspeak’s July issues on Communities and Sexuality.

August –  Accessibility and Sexuality
We often find that realising the ideals of equality of opportunity when talking in terms of both accessibility and sexuality issues, is an effort encrusted with complexities. Being inclusive doesn’t come easy, but worthy efforts are made every day all around the world that build on valuing the diversity of each of our lived experiences. Taking some of them into account, In Plainspeak’s August issues on Accessibility and Sexuality articulate and reframe ideas woven into our social fabric.

September –  Fiction and Sexuality
Humankind thrives because of our ability to imagine and communicate thoughts, ideas and made-up stories. We make up the idea of nations, religions, laws, corporations, strictures, and even money, all fictions that ultimately bind us. But fiction also frees us – by allowing escape, imagining possibilities different from the present, and building a future. How does fiction intersect with sexuality? How is our imagination of, and enactment of, our self shaped by our reading and writing of fiction? In Plainspeak’s September issue examines the role – positive, negative, or blurred – of fiction in sexuality.

October –  Caste and Sexuality
Ambedkar may have had a vision to make India caste-free, but caste is still flourishing in India and its neighbouring countries. Where one is on the caste spectrum is inextricably, and often irrevocably, tied to their sexuality. Caste follows one throughout life, with a privileged few able to live their lives claiming ‘it doesn’t matter’ to them. As do different forms of othering globally, including racial discrimination and control of indigenous peoples. What are the many ways caste (and the myriad forms of othering) and sexuality meet, influence each other and set the course for one’s sexual expression, behaviour and identity? These are some questions that the October issue of In Plainspeak on caste and sexuality addresses.

November –  Time and Sexuality
Aspects of sexuality change with the passage of time in the lives of individuals as well as of societies. People find that what mattered a few years ago doesn’t anymore, and grapple with changes as new concerns, freedoms and expressions of sexuality take over. Societies, too, mark a non-linear path, progressing on some fronts with time and regressing on others. Technologies, laws, religions and cultures bring fascinating, worrisome, innovative changes, some restrictive and others liberatory, to our expressions of sexuality. The November issue of In Plainspeak explores  how time and sexuality interact, be it in the moments that mark individual lives or the larger public histories that shape entire societies.

December –  Freedom and Sexuality
What would it be like to have no limits when it comes to expressing sexuality? No societal stigma, no familial, societal or governmental control – just the freedom to articulate and pursue one’s thoughts, emotions and desires? But the reality is that sexuality is heavily regulated by institutions like the state, religion and the family. This issue of In Plainspeak explores what it could mean to freely experience and assert the right to sexual agency. It also reflects on current barriers to this freedom and the ways that it is asserted or denied, based on gender, caste, sexual orientation and more. It challenges readers to imagine new frontiers in sexual expression and the ways we can cross them, and get to where we want to be.

2018

January –  Anniversary Issue
For the past four years, In Plainspeak has published articles highlighting the diversity of issues related to sexuality in the Global South and the universal importance of sexuality. We’ve explored the ways that sexuality is connected to many different concepts – some which were evident and others that were a bit more surprising. The January issue of In Plainspeak is a compilation of selected articles from our archives.

February –  Friendship and Sexuality
Romantic relationships are often the focus in discussions about sexuality, but what about friendship? Friendship can shape our perceptions of pleasure, desire and sexual norms. It can be a space for solidarity and openness, or one that reinforces myths and stigma. In this issue of In Plainspeak we will highlight the ways that friendship can encourage, undermine, censor or protect free expression. We will also interrogate the boundary between friendship and romance, and explore the intimacies that exist between friends.

March –  Home and Sexuality
Our conceptions of home shape not only how we view sexuality but also how we are able to express it. Sometimes in order to fully assert our sexuality, we may need to adjust our idea of home spatially, geographically and/or in the abstract. Home can be a private place where we can explore our deepest fantasies and desires, but it can also be restrictive, limiting not only what we can do but also who we are. For some, leaving home for the first time opens up an entire world of possibility. On a broader level, society’s sexual norms and taboos shift as people migrate and create new homes. The March issue of In Plainspeak will delve into the ways that individuals and cultures use the concept of “home” to both open up and restrict the ways that people express sexuality.

April – Memory and Sexuality
Memory is often fragile, linked intimately with subjectivity and social conditioning. The way we remember things is linked to the way we see the world and ourselves, and that in turn is what influences our sexual expression. Our perceptions of a certain event, on both a personal and cultural level, often inform the development of our own individual sexual expression as well as broader sexual norms and taboos. Many times, these perceptions are influenced by personal opinion or societal pressure. Memory is as much a tool for perpetuating violence as it is a medium for self-actualisation and acceptance. The April issue of In Plainspeak traverses these various labyrinthine landscapes that memory and consciousness lead us into.

May –  Language and Sexuality
Language is a means by which we communicate our thoughts, desires, and emotions. But beyond communication, language also mirrors and influences what society recognizes as acceptable or despicable. We use words to name, to describe, to extoll or to ridicule ideas, people, ways of being and ways of loving, among many other things. We do not have words for that which we do not know of or acknowledge and consequently, sometimes unwittingly, negate it. In the context of sexuality, language is central to how we do or do not express ourselves, access health services and information, pursue pleasure, assert our identities, and more. In the May issue of In Plainspeak, we will explore the ways that communities and individuals use language as both a mechanism for policing, discriminating and negating, and a tool for awareness, acceptance and liberation.

June –  Wellbeing and Sexuality 
Wellbeing flourishes on a plane that while encompassing the physical goes way beyond it. It is fed by the spaces we occupy (both on a personal and larger level), and it thrives in the freedom of individual thoughts, opinions and emotions as well as our collective sense of psychological and social contentment. Sexuality, and the affirmation of identity and individuality as well as the sense of being a part of a greater whole it brings, can be both a catalyst for and product of a holistic state of wellbeing.
Some of the silken skeins in the delicate yet tensile web of sexual wellbeing are the support systems that enrich us, that offer us the freedom and safety to articulate our sexual desires, fantasies, and sexual agency; the processes of self-care and self-pleasure we perform; and the ways we perceive our bodies and how we exercise our bodily autonomy. When sexual freedoms and sexual health are woven together, our “ways of being” are deeply enhanced. The June issue of In Plainspeak seeks to explore these very interdependencies between wellbeing and sexuality, and how they impact our overall quality of life.

August – Desire and Sexuality
To desire is to be human. Desire inheres in the ways in which we perceive ourselves and the world. Complex, subjective, and multifaceted, it fuels sexual intimacy, sexual pleasure, and the exploration and expression of our bodies. With desire come fantasy and the need for the freedom and agency to explore our fantasies. These fantasies can go beyond existing socially acceptable modes of inhabiting and exhibiting sexuality and all that it entails. Desire can stir within us a longing for ‘something more, something different’. And so, turning into something radical and political it can transcend the personal to encompass a larger quest to challenge and break out of social stigmas, taboos, and morals.  The August issue of In Plainspeak will seek to engage with the diverse meanings and expressions of desire, and how they come together to inform and enrich our understandings of sexuality.

September – Performance and Sexuality
Human life is a constant ebb and flow of various forms of performance – not only do we perform (or conversely, refuse to perform) the socially mandated gender-essentialist roles assigned to us, but we also ‘perform’ our individual value systems through our ways and modes of being. We are part of larger structures that often govern our actions, and in them, what we present to the world become markers of our identity. It is this identity that becomes linked to our sexuality, connecting our external social and cultural performativity to the internal experiences of desire and sexual freedom. But ‘performance’, on a more literal level, also includes the realms of art, creativity and diversity of thought, which too can become an important cultural medium for both sexual self-expression and the questioning of norms. Therefore, ‘performance’ can be both subversive and conformist as, it can involve both challenging and adhering to status quos. The September issue of In Plainspeak explores the complex ways in which these varied performances are carried out, and how they connect with notions of sexuality.

October – Beauty and Sexuality
Beauty is often seen as a marker for sexuality – what society considers beautiful is usually also heavily sexualised. But the reality is that socially imposed notions of beauty are not wholly representative; every person has a different idea of what makes someone or something beautiful. In this way, the concept of beauty illustrates the diversity that exists within human sexuality. It is used to demonstrate different facets of sexuality such as gender, sexual orientation, and more. These core parts of our identity and sexuality influence the ways we perceive beauty and what we do to feel beautiful. Beauty and sexual expression are also constantly affecting each other: beauty inspires and can define sexual expression, and sexual expression can shift individual ideas of beauty. Rigid ideas of what is beautiful, sexy, or desirable can reinforce oppressive structures, but when these concepts are more flexible they can be subversive as well. The October issue of In Plainspeak will delve into the relationship between beauty and sexuality and explore its various facets

November – Sex and Sexuality
Sex is usually the first thing that comes to mind when most people think of sexuality. Core parts of our identities are often defined by sex: who we are having sex with, how we like to have sex, whether or not we want to have sex, and at what age we first had sex. Sexuality is certainly not limited to these questions, but sex plays a key role in developing the varied facets of sexuality. It is one of the many ways that people express their sexuality, and it can help people explore their own sexual orientation, gender, body image, fantasies, and more. For some, it can hold great significance as a form of love, pleasure, labour, or as a source of trauma. The November issue of In Plainspeak will reflect on the multitude of ways that people experience sex and use it to express their sexuality.

December – Popular Culture and Sexuality
Popular Culture is all around us – from the films, to the music, to the books, magazines, newspapers, and TV shows (and so on) we consume – seeping into our thought processes and value systems, influencing us in myriad and unprecedented ways. Parallel to and sometimes even more influential than traditional structures of education, popular culture is a powerful source of information, and often a marker of the way a society thinks about sexuality. How popular culture depicts bodies, how it represents various gender identities and sexual orientations, or even, the ways it portrays sex and the notions around sex, are part of mainstream discourse, with both the creators and consumers of media actively contributing to it. Are these representations nuanced, pleasure-affirming and inclusive or do they fetishise and denigrate that which falls outside a charmed circle? At the same time as sexual mores change and as technologies expand, depictions of sexuality in popular culture change as well. What are the tensions between freedom of expression, creative expression and responsible representation in popular culture? Is pop culture’s engagement with sexuality expanding? If so, is it evolving or falling back into regressive modes of thinking? The January Issue of In Plainspeak explores these and other questions about the intersections between popular culture and sexuality.

2020

January –Anthology Issue

Sexuality-related issues are gaining increasing exposure in the public domain with happenings like the #MeToo Movement and the reading down of Section 377 and other progressive judgements and conversations.However,there are still many social norms and structural and attitudinal barriers that prevent people from being able to comfortably talk about sexuality, to comfortably be who they are, and to feel safe and free enough to experience their sexuality in an affirming way, free of fear, shame or taboo.What we need are Safe, Inclusive, Sexuality-Affirming spaces– SISA spaces. Spaces that are safe from judgment and violence, inclusive of diverse identities, expressions and experiences,and affirming of one’s sexuality-related choices.We can find and expand these spaces in multiple aspects of our life, be they public spaces, private relationships, or our engagement with and on the Internet. The idea of a SISA space could also be a prism through which we view sexuality and expand our possibilities for wellbeing. The notion of SISA has guided the way we have approached sexuality and through 2019, we encouraged In Plainspeak contributors and readers to consider SISA spaces as a cross-cutting theme.January 2020’s Anthology issue brings you articles, essays, and curated content not just from 2019 but also from past issues spanning the six years that In Plainspeak has been online, that look at safe, inclusive, sexuality-affirming spaces in various contexts and from different perspectives.

February – Sexuality and Pleasure
Pleasure is deeply personal and subjective, often located within the intimate spaces of one’s physical and emotional sensations,of one’s desires and fantasies. And yet, pleasure is also political –a product of our lived experiences, our social conditioning,and of the external forces that shape and control us. While it is experienced uniquely and differently by every individual, the value systems that we grow up with and the value systems we adopt in our adult lives often determine our pursuit of it. These very value systems may either police pleasure, or encourage it, or keep all knowledge of it locked away from us entirely. Are we all at equal liberty to explore pleasure in the ways that we want? Are some sources of pleasure considered more ‘palatable’ and ‘appropriate’ than others? Do some individuals or groups of people have greater freedom, agency, or access than others when it comes to pursuing pleasure? How safely can one pursue pleasure, in a world where patriarchal structures reign, power is unequally distributed and the spectres of infection, violence and unwanted pregnancy lurk? The February issue of In Plainspeak addresses these questions (and more),attempting to unravel the threads which connect sexuality and pleasure, and explores the relationship between the two in the context of building safe, inclusive and sexuality-affirming spaces.

March –   Literature and Sexuality
The domain of the literary makes way for endless possibilities, where one can both escape to and create unknown worlds, away from the shackles of norms that repress us. It is where thought, and feeling, and expression can often find free reign and shape narratives of one’s own. But literature goes beyond fiction; it also encompasses true stories, factual stories, stories of our daily lives, stories of personal experiences. In a world that is increasingly influenced by and is centered around the online sphere, literature can also transcend the traditional mediums of print, its boundaries and definitions constantly expanding. Sexuality, too, is similarly diverse, encompassing within it multitudes of narratives and experiences. Hence, it is fitting that sexuality often seeks liberation in the realms of literature, where voices that are stifled by patriarchal norms and structures can flourish, resist oppressive systems, and find safe spaces of expression. For years, narratives around pleasure, desire, sexual fantasies, bodily autonomy, resistance, and rights have found space in literature, but at the same time, literature has also depicted sexuality in far from affirming ways. Hence, literature is a medium that can both subvert as well as mimic structures of oppression, and the way it is employed to represent sexuality can be, among other readings, deeply liberating or disturbingly restrictive. The March issue of In Plainspeak seeks to explore these dichotomies, specially in the context of how literature can help create safe, inclusive, sexually-affirming spaces.

April – Safety and Sexuality

May –  Dating and Sexuality
‘Dating’ is a descriptor of a relationship as well as an activity. When one says that two (or more) people are dating, it could imply that they are in a romantic or sexual relationship. The word ‘dating’ could also be shorthand for the entire spectrum of experiences that revolve around meeting a person (going out on a date, so to say), getting to know them, assessing their potential as a possible romantic or sexual partner, and then entering into a relationship with them. Now, in an increasingly technologically-informed world, the definitions and boundaries of dating are expanding. When a single swipe on an online app can indicate interest in a potential partner, the range of experiences that can constitute ‘dating’ becomes more amorphous and more dynamic. And yet, in both the offline and online versions of dating, issues of consent and safety, pleasure and desire, agency and choice (and more) constantly interplay, intimately affecting each experience one has in the process of dating. In May’s issue of In Plainspeak, we attempt to parse out this complex interplay of issues and experiences that surrounds ‘dating’, and how these could influence and be influenced by the building of safe, inclusive, sexuality-affirming spaces.

June – Health and Sexuality
In the times of a global pandemic, health is continuously at the forefront of everyone’s concerns. The current pandemic is again exposing how so many of us have internalised fear-based messages about health and how our concerns revolve only around disease-prevention or recovery rather than around a holistic sense of physical and emotional wellbeing at all times. Yet, health is so essential to our life that without it so many aspects of our daily existence can come to a standstill. One such aspect is sexuality, which is intricately linked to health – whether it be sexual health (prevention of sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy, genital health, and so on), reproductive health (safe abortion, surrogacy, maternal health, etc), mental health, or beyond. Availability of and access to proper infrastructure and healthcare services like sanitation, clean, germ-free and stigma-free environments, accurate information and awareness, non-judgmental medical institutions, to name a few, as well as people-centered laws and policies also determine not only the degree of people’s health, but also the degree to which they can formulate notions about their sexuality and find safe avenues of exploring it. Health and wellbeing are in part a result of the ways in which we practice physical and emotional intimacy (both with oneself and with others), and there is no greater proof of it than now, in these times of physical distancing and self-quarantining and the complexities and nuances they bring to expressions of one’s sexuality. The June issue of In Plainspeak attempts to expand the understandings of health from disease-prevention and treatment to notions of wellness and wellbeing, and seeks to explore their impact on sexuality especially in the context of building safe, inclusive, sexuality-affirming spaces.

July – Young People and Sexuality
Growing up can be an exciting and yet tumultuous experience. The period of adolescence, specifically, when grappling with bodily changes while at the same time trying to formulate one’s own identity and personality, can be fraught with both joy and confusion. One receives various messages around sexuality, sexual health, and sex itself, from the kind of conversations (or the lack thereof) that surround one, while simultaneously attempting to make sense of one’s own desires, attractions, and fantasies. Yet, in a society where sexuality is largely stigmatised, where adequate information isn’t readily available, where safe spaces too aren’t always available, the process of understanding, coming to terms with, and exploring one’s sexuality can prove difficult. Even beyond adolescence and into early adulthood, conversations or resources around sexuality might be scant, and dealing with the plethora of issues that come with one’s exploration of sexuality – consent, safer sex practices, experiencing attraction (queer or otherwise), and so on, can continue to be challenging. But, now in India, perhaps the needle is shifting. More than 34% of our population is in the age range of 15 to 34 years and many of them are increasingly finding avenues to gain greater exposure, challenge norms and express themselves more authentically. The Internet is one such avenue among many others. The July issue of In Plainspeak delves into the nuances of the issues young people face while navigating their sexuality in today’s world, and how safe, inclusive and sexuality-affirming spaces can augment their processes and experiences of embracing and enjoying their sexuality.

August – Innovations and Sexuality
With science and technology advancing at a rapid pace, it often feels like the world we live in is constantly driven by innovation. Whether it is the infinite possibilities the Internet offers to us, or medical inventions that have enhanced the quality of life, or artificial intelligence which is changing the way we perceive both machines and human beings, scientific and technological innovations are everywhere. Their influence on sexuality, too, is undeniable. We have technology to aid the very processes of sex or sexual pleasure like the manufacture of sex toys, robotic arms for masturbation, and so on, and at the same time, the Internet has made information on sexuality as well as visual mediums like pornography more readily available (though of course, whether or not these are reliable modes of disseminating information on sexuality is a different debate altogether). Innovations have also made it possible for people from various parts of the world to connect online with each other, and to potentially develop romantic or sexual intimacies. Scientific innovations have also greatly bolstered sexual, reproductive and maternal health, be it through assisted reproductive technologies, the manufacture of contraceptives, and more. And this is just the tip of the iceberg; technology and the innovations that arise from it have an inextricable relationship with the way we presently experience sexuality, in ways both big and small. The August issue of In Plainspeak attempts to explore this relationship between innovations and sexuality, and what it means in the context of the building of safe, inclusive, sexuality-affirming spaces.

September – Law and Sexuality
Law governs our lives in both direct and indirect ways, setting down frameworks of behaviour, of rights and of personal freedoms. On principle, law also indicts that which it considers ‘criminal’, ‘immoral’, or a societal ‘threat’. But when law-making authorities hold the ultimate power to shape what is considered legal, and subsequently, what is considered the ‘norm’, do voices from the margins get adequately heard? Some countries in the global South have implemented anti-abortion laws, anti-LGBTQ laws, laws that jeopardise the agency of women, laws that do not foreground choice, laws that codify both gender and sexuality in binary terms – all of which have furthered stigmas against queerness, sexual and reproductive agency, and more. And yet, everything has not been bleak. Important legal developments like the decriminalisation of same-sex sexual acts in India, the allowing of women into the Sabarimala Temple (challenging age-old menstrual taboos), the legalisation of gay marriage in Taiwan, and so on, prove how laws can not only bolster the individual freedoms of marginalised communities, but can also shift and challenge what is ‘normal’ and what is ‘moral’. This is a dangerous precipice for law (as an institution) to stand on the edge of, and perhaps the only way we, as citizens, can hold it accountable and ensure that its power does not spiral out of control, is to be aware, critical and analytical of the laws and policies which govern our lives. The September issue of In Plainspeak attempts to do exactly this, examining the impact law has on sexuality and sexual and reproductive rights, and whether the right laws and policies can foster and uphold the creation of safe, inclusive, sexuality-affirming spaces.

October – Risk and Sexuality
‘Risk’ is a word loaded with connotations – often associated with danger, with violence, with disease, often invoked while taking a protectionist approach to sexuality, to warn people from engaging in certain behaviours. Yet, taking risks can also be a feminist act, instrumental in both reclaiming agency and resisting patriarchal norms. The freedom to take risks can become a radical means for marginalised communities to seek to control their own narratives, to normalise spaces where they are seen, heard and respected. By claiming visibility and mobility in public spaces, by taking risks in the bedroom, by indulging in desires and fantasies society labels ‘risky’, by ‘risking’ being openly queer in a world where queerness is often stigmatised, and more, the status quos that govern our existence, that slot us into tight boxes, that seek to ‘protect’ us rather than empower us, can be challenged in infinite ways. However, one cannot dismiss the not-so-empowering aspects of risk – the risk of sexual violence, of sexually transmitted infections, of stigma and discrimination, of being ostracised for who you are or who you love. The October issue of In Plainspeak attempts to delve into these several connotations of risk and how they interact with sexuality, and also, whether ‘risk’ fosters or hinders the creation of safe, inclusive, sexuality-affirming spaces.

November – Supports Systems and Sexuality
On some level, no individual can truly thrive without support – whether it be physical, emotional, or beyond. We are beings that crave comfort, solidarity, that crave to be acknowledged and loved. Support makes us feel less lonely, and affirms our sense of self, our beliefs, our personalities. Support systems, whether in the form of immediate family, friends and co-workers, or in the form of the mechanisms created by the larger structures of the state and society, are essential for us to both feel good about ourselves, and to feel good about the spaces we inhabit. And yet, for people of marginalised identities including queer and transgender people, support systems may take different shapes and forms. For them, state-mandated laws or societal attitudes may not offer enough support, and their definition of family or community might not be based on biological ties and might expand to informal support groups as well as online networks. For persons with disability or people of advanced age, support can manifest in the form of a caregiver from within or outside the family who takes care of one’s physical needs. The kind of support a person has affects the way they experience their sexuality. From a very young age, the support (or lack thereof) offered by one’s immediate environment may shape one’s understanding of sexuality and influence whether or not they internalise positive or negative messages around sex, pleasure, bodies, and so on. Similarly, the presence or absence of a support system can influence whether or not certain aspects of one’s sexuality can find free expression, whether one can explore diverse sexual practices, and whether one can pursue one’s desires. The November issue of In Plainspeak explores whether our support systems offer us a safe, inclusive, sexuality-affirming space and promote sexual wellbeing.

December – Femininities and Sexuality
Gender is a spectrum with many colours and we perceive new hues as our ideas about gender evolve. And so it is with our ideas about feminity; or rather of femininities. It isn’t about ‘girliness’ (in fact, what is ‘girliness’ in the first place? Who even is ‘girl’?), or a certain standard of beauty or physical appearance, a certain style of clothing, makeup, a particular body type, etc. The notion of femininities isn’t even restricted to a particular gender. It can be an experience, a state of being, a feeling that comes from within, as well as a performance. Hence, there are multiple femininities, and multiple horizons of experience associated with these femininities  There are experiences of misogyny in various shapes and forms, there are experiences that are associated with the body and are also irrespective of the kind of body you inhabit, as well as irrespective of the gender assigned to you at birth. that influence one’s exploration of desire, of pleasure, of body image, and of sexual and romantic relationships. In a patriarchal world, where misogyny abounds, are all manifestations of femininities equally denigrated or are particular expressions of femininity valued?  The spectrum of femininities intersects with sexuality in more ways than one can count, and the December issue of In Plainspeak attempts to explore these intersections, especially in the context of how they affect safe, inclusive, sexuality-affirming spaces.

2021

January – Anthology Issue
Faced with a pandemic in 2020, we were reminded to reimagine wellbeing as more than the absence of disease and rather as a mosaic, its many differently coloured tiles together constituting an intricate and interconnected whole. Wellbeing may consist in living in alignment with who we truly are and feeling fulfilled, freely expressing our sexuality, or even being able to run 10 kilometres at a go. Though unique to each one of us, our wellbeing is affected by some overarching aspects such as our physical and mental health, our self-image, and our relationships. Sexual wellbeing includes not only sexual and reproductive health but also expressing and experiencing sexuality safely, positively, and pleasurably. At a time when we are witnessing violence (sexual and otherwise) and uncertainty in our world, we probe wellbeing again – how might we care for ourselves, especially while caring for one another, and cultivate practices and spaces which may contribute to a sense of wellbeing? In our anthology issue in January 2021 we republish In Plainspeak articles from previous years about what wellbeing means to our contributors.

February – Singlehood and Sexuality
We live in a culture organised around relationships. We are told finding ‘The One’ is integral to our well-being; our ‘soulmate’ will intuitively understand as well as fulfill all our emotional, sexual, and material needs and desires. Our engagement with dating is expected to culminate in cisgender-heterosexual marriage, but what if we aren’t looking to live ‘happily ever after’ with another person? Singlehood carries stigma – of being lonely, materialistic, selfish, sexually restricted or ‘unlucky in love’. However, not all of us seek companionship within a heterosexual and monogamous framework. We may not consider love or commitment a prerequisite to engaging in sexual activity; we may simply be ‘single and not looking to mingle’; we may express and experience intimacy outside of romantic and/or sexual relationships. When our self-worth is considered to be inextricably tied to having and being desired by a partner, being single may be an assertion of our agency against patriarchal norms around legitimate relationships, sexual behaviour, and family. In the February issue of In Plainspeak, we attempt to delve into these aspects of singlehood and how they relate to our socio-economic location, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability status.

March – Ageing and Sexuality
Juxtaposed against the broad category of youth, older adulthood is often considered as a period of decline instead of a stage as complex and full as any other in our life. Socio-cultural negativity around sexuality and ageing make the physical, psychological, and psychosexual changes that come as we grow older, unnecessarily difficult to deal with. As older adults we may be made to feel that our desires are superfluous and undignified, and our sexual performance is diminishing or compromised, as is our desirability. When we are older, our relationships, especially those which are romantic, are often portrayed as devoid of sexual passion and instead, as hingeing on companionship and caregiving, which is fine if that indeed be the case. However, sexuality may be as intrinsic to our relationship with ourselves and the world as we grow older, and with the confidence that comes with life experience and self-awareness, may be even more authentically expressed and enjoyed. In the March 2021 issue of In Plainspeak, we examine the place sexuality occupies in our life as we grow older, how it relates to our self-expression, relationships, and sexual and reproductive health and rights, and how notions of sexual wellbeing in older adulthood may be expanded.

April – Vulnerability and Sexuality
Vulnerability is often associated with the threat of emotional or physical hurt, disease (amplified now in a COVID-19 affected world) and violence. Where, with whom, and in what circumstances we feel safe, affects not only our interpersonal relationships and the spaces and services we access but also our relationship with ourselves. However, is the goal of identifying vulnerability simply safety? And, does the search for safety limit or free us in living fully and authentically? While exploring ourselves and the world, we open ourselves up to new and different experiences, places, and people. On the one hand, we may find ourselves rendered vulnerable while engaging with someone sexually and/or romantically, moving cities, travelling alone, or even while dealing with personal adversity. On the other, intentionally allowing ourselves to be vulnerable may be an act of asserting agency in the choices we make and the boundaries we establish or consciously yield around our self-expression, sexuality, bodily integrity, and relationships. The April issue of In Plainspeak attempts to explore vulnerability and sexuality and its interaction with age, caste, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and socio-economic location.

May – Data and Sexuality
As technological advancements narrow the gap between our online and offline lives, our everyday actions become sources of data. From biometrics, facial recognition software, and CCTV cameras to our health and financial records, location, and search histories – avenues for collecting data as well as utilising this data are endless. Although presented as error-free, neutral and objective, the data collected (and about whom) are influenced by context. And because our world is constructed upon inequalities, data might enhance the lives of some and push already marginalised identities and communities further away. With regard to sexuality, questions around privacy, consent, anonymity, surveillance, and other such issues, arise. And, if we express and experience sexuality outside of the norm, are we rendered more vulnerable to being targeted, surveilled, and regulated? In Plainspeak’s May issue questions the reach and impact of data on our sexual and reproductive wellbeing and rights, and attempts to imagine a more consent-based and equal digital future.

June – Representation and Sexuality
Drawing from the oft-discussed conundrum ‘If a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?’ we ask: How might we be truly and meaningfully seen and heard, especially if we do not find accurate or adequate representation in mainstream discourse? Representation is a broad term – it might mean political legitimacy of our gender identity and sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion and so on, inclusivity in decision-making processes, highlighting narratives of identities and communities which are marginalised, and portraying sexuality openly and authentically. Our lived experience as well as what we are told by way of religious and/or moral tenets, popular culture, and even advertising, shape the way we look at and interact with our socio-cultural-political milieu. And, while representation may influence how we perceive things, we are not passive consumers of it – we can bring to it a critical eye, point to what’s missing, and if we don’t like what’s on offer we can demand or create other representations. In the June issue of In Plainspeak we explore how representation (and even misrepresentation, or none at all!) may affirm or violate our sexual rights and the assertion of our individual and collective identity.

May – Movement and Sexuality 
What is movement? Some may immediately think of the body, to raise an arm, stretch, walk in the park. Others may think of physical ability and mobility, what it takes if you use a walking aid, to leave a bed and go to the bathroom. So movement involves shift and a changed state of being, from here to there! How and where does movement connect to sexuality? Yes, this may lead to immediate visions of sex and sexual, again involving the physical being. We know that sexuality, integral to life and identity, is more than sex, more than physical body. Is it possible that movement too has more to it? Reflecting upon this expanded understanding of movement, a range of possibilities come to mind. Moving from one place to another, travel, migration, or just commuting to work when not working online as the pandemic has caused many people to do. Then is there a movement of emotion, mind, and spirit also involved? Movement in social, professional, economic, psychosocial ways, involves personal decisions and desires, as also constraints imposed by the environment around us. Movement can empower, and the lack of it can inhibit, individuals and entire communities. Law, society, community, money, inclusion, discrimination, ableism, gender stereotyping, patriarchy, any number of these factors operating in different and interconnected ways impact both movement and sexuality. The May issue of In Plainspeak explores movement, in all of its diverse meanings and implications, finding connections with sexuality and our deepest selves.