Sexuality
Is Digital Colonisation Redefining the Understanding of Agency, Bodily Autonomy, and Being Human?
Apart from systematic exclusions faced by individuals, evidently the mandatory use of a biometric-based digital ID has also reshaped the understanding of an individual’s agency and right to bodily autonomy. Gender and sexuality seem to no longer be matters of an individual’s right to privacy. With digitisation, disclosure of one’s gender and sexuality has become a hindrance to accessing one’s rights.
By Brindaalakshmi K
Is BDSM Just a New Age Fad and the Latest ‘In Thing’?
BDSM has been existent in discussion all the way from the time of the Marquis de Sade. However, the only thing that ’Fifty Shades of Grey’ seems to have done is shine the spotlight on a lifestyle that has existed and been judged for quite some time now.
By Asmi
December 3, 2018
Interview: ‘Desire is Never Straightforward. In Fact, there is Nothing Straight about Desire at All’
Desire is never straightforward, and it cannot be straitjacketed – in fact, there is nothing straight about desire at all. Any issue dealing with desire, therefore, is wasted if viewed through a monochromatic lens.
By Curated Content
Interview: Sridhar Rangayan
In this Issue of In Plainspeak, we speak to Sridhar Rangayan about dimensions of friendship and sexuality. Sridhar is an…
By Shikha Aleya
February 1, 2018
Interview: Shruti Arora
Shruti Arora is a feminist trainer and researcher in the field of Gender and Sexuality. In this interview, she shares her insights on collective practices of building safe and sexuality-affirming spaces for young people, in friendships and community, digital and healthcare settings.
By Shikha Aleya
April 1, 2020
Interview: Shruti Arora
There may already be another organisation in the community to share resources with but for community-led initiatives, a shared perspective on Safe, Inclusive, Sexuality-Affirming (SISA) spaces is also important. Sometimes when the shared perspective is not there, that becomes a challenge.
By Shikha Aleya
January 3, 2022
Interview: Shohini Ghosh
Both fiction and non-fiction are capable of great complexity if the making is in the hands of someone capable and complex. I have always held that good films – fiction, non-fiction or hybrid– emerge not from a familiarity with the subject, though that’s essential – but an understanding of the language of cinema.
By Radhika Chandiramani
September 1, 2017
Interview: Shilpa Phadke
‘Why would you want to loiter?’ is an excellent question to ask feminist researcher, parent, educator and activist Dr. Shilpa…
By Shikha Aleya
December 18, 2017
INTERVIEW: SEXUALITY AND ADOLESCENTS
Our interview section this month features excerpts from three of our past interviews on issues in dealing with adolescent sexuality:…
By TARSHI Team
August 1, 2015
Interview: Ruth Gould
Ruth Gould is the Artistic Director of DaDaFest. She is trained in performance arts, speech and drama from Liverpool Theatre…
By TARSHI Team
August 1, 2014
Interview: Richa Kaul Padte, Author of ‘Cyber Sexy’
Richa Kaul Padte, in her own words, is “a writer and editor interested in gender, sex, tech, popular culture and illness.” Shikha Aleya interviews Richa about porn, pleasure and pussycats.
By Shikha Aleya
November 1, 2018
Interview: Pramada Menon: Why do families occupy so much of our headspace?
Pramada Menon is a queer feminist activist who ponders about all matters she thinks are complex. When not pondering and…
By Radhika Chandiramani
December 1, 2014
INTERVIEW: PAWAN DHALL ON HIS OWN JOURNEY OF BUILDING COMMUNITIES – PART 2
Shikha Aleya: What are some of the biggest barriers you have faced in your efforts to create dialogue and visibilise…
By Shikha Aleya
Interview: Pawan Dhall on his own journey of building communities – Part 1
In this issue of In Plainspeak, we interview Pawan Dhall, Founding Trustee of Varta Trust, queer activist, writer and social researcher. He is also the editor of the Varta webzine, promoting and sustaining dialogue on gender and sexuality, across diverse groups of people. As Pawan says, “We are all strung together on a spectrum of gender and sexuality, and we don’t have to be fixed at a single point on the spectrum throughout our lives.”
By Shikha Aleya