The I Column
Acting Like Myself
In this month’s issue of Play and Sexuality, Wesley D’Souza recounts the time his school put up a production of The Pied Piper of Hamelin, his preparations for its audition, and how the process was intertwined with an exploration and acceptance of his sexuality.
By Wesley D'Souza
December 15, 2021
Acne and Attraction: An Unspoken Affair
The last few years have been a struggle in accepting myself with the possibility of always having acne and believing that I am still beautiful, even on the “outside”. This journey of believing that I can be worthy of love, attraction, expression and desire regardless of my looks continues to be liberating and empowering.
By Lamia Bagasrawala
October 1, 2018
Acceptance, Agency, and A Womens’ Hostel
In a way, Mrs Chatterjee’s worst fears had been confirmed. The hostel was indeed dangerous – not because of “raging hormones”, but because wewere constantly initiating discussions and circumstances which challenged the patriarchal status quo.
By Anonymous
March 5, 2018
Acceptance, Agency, and a Women’s Hostel
Home, to me, was never a static entity, but my time in a girl’s hostel feels like the embodiment of everything my ideal “home” is – empowering, liberating, and full of women who love each other unabashedly.
By Anonymous
January 2, 2020
A ‘girly’ feminist
Desiring motherhood meant veering into a more ‘girly’ territory, a notion that I had simultaneously been fighting and trying to embrace since childhood. I had understood that to be a feminist I had to be independent, be wary of men, dislike families and relationships.
By Anubha Sarkar
December 1, 2020
A Vicious Cycle – Forced to Stand Still and Then Feel Bad About It
On a larger scale, my non-normative sexuality is confined to tiny spaces, influenced by fear of impending violence, rejection and revulsion, even when one is privileged enough to live in a metropolitan city.
By Mahika Banerji
A Lingering Tingle
I started learning Bharatanatyam in 1988, when I was six years old. Looking back, it feels like beginning to learn…
By Aniruddan Vasudevan
January 1, 2015
A Gay Man’s Daughter
Were there more people like my father? Was it legal? I read about sexual diversity and how people of all sexual orientations should have the same rights[1], the LGBT community, and so on, and what the law says about them. Though the picture is not a completely happy one, a lot of work is going on in this area and there is still hope for the future.
By Anonymous
December 2, 2019
A Critical View Of Sexual Health Education In Iran
When I was 16, I thought: ‘Some topics in physics have no benefit for students throughout their life. For instance,…
By Nikzad Zangeneh
December 1, 2013
A Critical View Of Sexual Health Education In Iran
When I was 16, I thought: ‘Some topics in physics have no benefit for students throughout their life. For instance,…
By Nikzad Zangeneh
August 1, 2015
‘From Son to Father’
Dear Dad, There are times when I find writing a largely unproductive and tiresome exercise. For much of what is…
By Sahil Sood
December 4, 2017