As the rainbows claim the streets, the voices of the queer community rise in a powerful chorus for identity and inclusion, to be heard and to be seen. This Pride Month, Outlook celebrates with stories of love, diversity, and the long journey towards acceptance.

As the LGBTQIA+ community asserts their identity through email signatures and inclusive language, there remains significant work to be done on social, educational, and legal fronts.

Despite claims to the contrary, India's education system remains non-inclusive of queer students, leaving them to choose between their dignity and an education. Additionally, with the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita's implementation on July 1, the absence of a provision equivalent to Section 377 IPC will leave gay men and transgender people more vulnerable to sexual violence without legal recourse.

In India, the southern state of Tamil Nadu has emerged as the most queer-friendly state, leading the way with inclusive policies and structural changes. In contrast, Karnataka, despite being lauded for becoming the first state in 2021 to horizontally reserve public employment jobs for transgender persons, has failed to give shape to the policies which have largely remained on paper.

Outlook’s next issue also explores the evolution of queer cinema, looking at how queerness subtly manifested in old Bollywood classics like Silsila, Kal Ho Naa Ho, and Hum Aapke Hain Koun.