This is a timeline of notable events in the history of non-heterosexual conforming people of South Asian ancestry, who may identify as LGBTIQGNC (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, third gender, gender nonconforming), men who have sex with men, or related culturally-specific identities[1] such as Hijra, Aravani, Thirunangaigal, Khwajasara, Kothi, Thirunambigal, Jogappa, Jogatha, or Shiva Shakti.[2][3] The recorded history traces back at least two millennia.
This timeline includes events both in South Asia and in the global South Asian diaspora, as the histories are deeply linked.[4][5] South Asia includes the modern day nations of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma (Myanmar), India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka; in some references, the South Asian subcontinent will also include Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tibet. The South Asian diaspora includes, but is not limited to South Asian LGBTQ communities in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Caribbean Islands, Southeast Asia, and elsewhere.
Early history
400 BCE - 200 BCE
- Sculptures on temples and artwork from around 500 BC in Lanka depict liberal views on sexuality and homosexuality.[6]
- Vatsyayana's The Kama Sutra devotes an entire chapter to homosexuality with explicit detailed instructions on how to perform homosexual acts.[7]
3rd century BC to c. 4th century AD
~1529
- Emperor Babur's memoirs, the Baburnama, include a recollection of a supposed homoerotic relationship with a teenage boy.[7]
1530s
1750-1830
- Emergence of Rekhti chapti-namahs, or female non-sexual homosocial narratives, in Urdu poetry.[16]
1861
- Anti-sodomy section of Offences against the Person Act 1861 imposed on entire British Empire, that says "Whosoever shall be convicted of the abominable Crime of Buggery, committed either with Mankind or with any Animal, shall be liable, at the Discretion of the Court, to be kept in Penal Servitude for Life or for any Term not less than Ten Years." This section is credited with giving birth to the controversial Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.[17]
1871
1897
- Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 amended, with the subtitle "An Act for the Registration of Criminal Tribes and Eunuchs", ordering that "criminal" eunuchs "dressed or ornamented like a woman in a public street… be arrested without warrant" and imprisoned.[19][20][21][22]
1918
Earliest known records of South Asian MSM in North America, as Tara Singh and Jamil Singh are separately arrested for interracial sodomy in Sacramento, CA.[23]
1922
- Poems Written in Prison by Gopabandhu Das, a freedom fighter and Gandhian, is published. At least two poems address male friends and co-workers, and the author describes these relationships in terms that are intense and erotically charged though not overtly sexual. These poems are sometimes included in Odia language literature textbooks.[24]
1924
- "Chocolate", a short story in Hindi written by nationalist and social reformer Pandey Bechan Sharma (under the penname Ugra), is published in the nationalist newspaper Matvala. Ugra's crusade against male-to-male sex sparks debate in Hindi newspapers and magazines, resulting in perhaps the first public debate in Hindi on homosexuality.[24][25]
1929
1936
- Urdu poet Firaq Gorakhpuri writes an essay defending the Ghazal form of poetry that includes a defence of homosexuality, citing philosophers, poets and other renowned figures across the East and the West who were homosexual or had expressed homosexual desire in well-known works.[24]
1942
1944
1945
- Ismat Chughtai publishes her semi-autobiographical Tehri Lakeer ("The Crooked Line"), an Urdu novel that does not shy away from sexuality and depiction of same-sex attraction.[24]
1962
Rajendra Yadav, a leading Hindi novelist, publishes his story "Prateeksha" ("Waiting") that depicts a homosexual relation between two women without censure and in detail.[24]
1968
Bhupen Khakhar, a successful painter and writer of Gujarati fiction, and one of the few who is openly homosexual, writes an untitled story depicting bisexuality in a quotidian, lower middle-class context.[24]
1990s
1990
Red Rose Meetings start in New Delhi for gay men[79][80]
- Indian lesbians attend Asian Lesbian Network conference in Bangkok[30]
Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention founded[59]
Lila's father files case under Section 377 against Lila's partner Tarulata who underwent FTM sex change to marry Lila Chavda in 1989 (Apr)[81]
Shamakami newsletter for South Asian lesbian and bi women comes out (Jun)[42][82]
India's first gay magazine, Bombay Dost, founded by Ashok Row Kavi (Jun)[42][83]
Freedom newsletter published in Gulbarga (Sep)[42]
Fun Club starts in Calcutta to organize social gatherings (Dec)[84][85]
Desh Pardesh (1990 - 2001, multidisciplinary queer South Asian arts festival in Toronto, Ontario). See citation for oral history project about the festival.[86][87]
- Vandana Cibbal and Simmi Kapoor RIP[30]
- Films:
- 1990 "Our People - HIV/AIDS and the Black Communities" Picture Talk Films directed by Ash Kotak for BHAN (Black HIV/AIDS Network). Funded by the Department of Health. In English, several Sth Asian languages and Cantonese. Winner of a British Medical Association Silver Award 1991
- Jareena: Portrait of a Hijra by Prem Kalliat[88]
- Flesh and Paper by Pratibha Parmar about Suniti Namjoshi[89]
- Books:
1991
1992
Companions on a Journey founded by Sherman de Rose in Sri Lanka[101][102]
Activist Siddhartha Gautam, a lawyer who founded the AIDS Bhedbhav Virodhi Andolan (ABVA) in 1989–90 to raise public awareness about HIV/AIDS and protest discriminatory policies, passes away in New Delhi at age 28.[103][104][105]
Udaan founded in Mumbai to work with MSM[106]
Atish Network formed in Vancouver[59]
- Dominic D'Souza, AIDS activist, dies[107]
SALGA marches in New York's India Day parade[108][109][110]
- Books:
- Invisible Minority – The Unknown World of the Indian Homosexual by Arvind Kala[111]
1993
Friends of Siddhartha Gautam organize a film festival in Delhi in his memory.[112]
Discovery '93, the Khush gay men's conference in Toronto[56][59]
Khush Club forms in Mumbai of gay men[113]
Sami Yoni, a journal for lesbians of South Asian descent, published in Toronto.[59]
- Pratibha Parmar receives Frameline Award for contributions to queer cinema[114][115]
Khush-list born on harvard.edu listserv by Devesh Khatu and Marty[116][117]
Counsel Club formed in Calcutta[79][118]
Aarambh newsletter/magazine debuts in New Delhi[119] (need better reference)
Trikone Atlanta born[110]
Naz and Sakhi Seminar on Alternative Sexualities in New Delhi[120]
Samraksha AIDS organization formed in Bangalore (Dec)[121][122]
- Modern-day traditional wedding Aditya Advani and Michael Tarr performed by Swami Bodhananda[123]
- Books:
- Queer Looks edited by Pratibha Parmar, John Greyson, Martha Gever.[124]
- Feminist Fables by Suniti Namjoshi[125]
- Out on Main Street by Shani Mootoo[126]
- Lotus of Another Color, edited by Rakesh Ratti[127]
- "Gay angst" (review of Lotus of Another Color), India Today, 30 June 1993.[128]
Shobha De's Strange Obsession (1993), a rambunctious novel about lesbian love published by Penguin Books of India.[129][130]
- Play: Draupadi's Robes by Raminder Kaur, starring Parminder Sekhon and Poulomi Desai. The production included poetry, music and dance with performers from London's Asian LGBTTQI communities[131]
1994
Vadamalli by novelist Su.Samuthiram is the first Tamil novel about Aravaani community in Tamil Nadu[132]
G.A.Y (Good as You) group formed in Bangalore[133]
TIME names Urvashi Vaid one of the top leaders under 40[134]
Humsafar Trust registered in India[135]
All India Hijra Kalyan Sabha got voting rights in India[136]
SALGA hosts Pride Utsav in New York, during Stonewall 25[137]
ABVA challenges Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code in court after condom distribution prohibited in Tihar Jail, Delhi.[138][139][140]
Khush-DC formed in Washington DC[141]
South Asian Lesbian and Gay Association (SALGA) banned from marching in the New York City India Day Parade, but protested along with Sakhi, a women's organization.[142][143][144][145]
MASALA formed in Boston[146][147]
Vimla Farooqui of National Federation of Indian Women asks PM to stop gay meet claiming homosexuality is Western[79][148][149]
- SALGA –Philadelphia formed [150]
Abraham Verghese's My Own Country wins Lambda Literary Award[151][152]
Naz/Humsafar Gay Men's Conference in Bombay[153]
First gay conference in India reported (incorrectly) by Erie Gay News in Feb 1995. Conference said to have happened Dec (1994). See 1981.[154]
Chhota Khayal, monthly calendar of Khush, Toronto[59]
- Books
- Films:
- Destiny, Desire and Devotion by Zahid Dar[157]
1995
- SAGrrls list serve launched by Jasbir Puar and others[116][158]
Pride Utsav hosted by Trikone in San Francisco (Jun)(parent of DesiQ)[159][160]
Trikone's website debuts – the first ever for a South Asian LGBT group[116]
Activist Kalpesh Oza, AIDS researcher and Desh Pradesh artist/organizer, passes away in Toronto (Jun)[4][161][162][163]
Awaz-e-Atish: Voice of Fire publication by Atish Network Society (1995-1996)[164]
- Sulaiman Mohammed, founding member of Atish, passes away (Aug)[4]
- South Asia lesbians and bisexual women at Beijing Women's Conference (Sep)[4]
Humsafar Center inaugurated in Bombay (Oct)[165][166]
Stree Sangam (later renamed LABIA) founded in Bombay[119]
Trikone gets San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Historical Society Award (Oct)[4]
![India](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/41/Flag_of_India.svg/23px-Flag_of_India.svg.png)
Anuja Gupta, who worked with ABVA, an Indian AIDS prevention group, testifies at tribunal on human rights violations against sexual minorities in New York (Oct)[167]
Khuli Zaban founded by Leema Khan and Neena Hemmady in Chicago (Oct).[168][169]
Trikone and SALGA get NGLTF Community Service Award (Nov)[170]
Queer Issue of Rungh, a South Asian quarterly of culture, comment, and criticism[171]
Club Kali opens[172]
Pravartak renamed to Naya Pravartak
+
From the Coffee Table to the Kit(s)chen - an exhibition of Queer Asian portraits by Poulomi Desai, curated by Preet Paul opens at the Oxford bookstore and Gallery in Kolkatta during riots.[173][174]
- Book:
- Plays:
- Ash Kotak's Maa played at The Royal Court, London, produced by Moti Roti
1996
Kali becomes first hijra to stand for elections in Bihar (Judicial Reforms Party) (Apr)[136]
Stree Sangam organizes First National Gathering of Women who Love Women in Mumbai (Jun)[68][80][119][176]
Trikone-Tejas formed in Texas and hosts first public event (Oct)[177][178][179]
Outlook magazine says Lucknow leads the pack in India for gay sex (Oct)[4][180]
Poet Ifti Nasim inducted into Chicago Lesbian and Gay Hall of Fame (Oct)[4][181][182][183]
- Arvind Kumar and Ashok Jethanandi, founders of Trikone and India Currents, are married in Toronto in traditional religious ceremony conducted by Ma Yogashakti, Arvind's mother.[123]
- Books
- Giti Thadani, Sakhiyani: Lesbian Desire in Ancient and Modern India.[184]
- Shani Mootoo, Cereus Blooms at Night.[185][186]
- The Invisibles: A Tale of Eunuchs of India by Zia Jaffrey[185][187]
- Films:
1997
Naz Foundation (India) Trust starts helplines – Sangini for women and Humraz for men[192]
Humrahi formally starts in Delhi[193]
Darpan newsletter launched in Delhi[42]
- Mahila Samanwaya Committee for sex workers in Calcutta opens membership to male sex workers[194][195][196][197]
Bandhu Social Welfare Society established in Dhaka to work on HIV/AIDS and the MSM community[198][199][200]
- Counsel Club organizes Network East conference (Jan)[79]
Copies of Trikone seized by Indian customs on grounds of morality (Aug)[201]
Javid Syed, AIDS activist included in best and brightest activists under 30 by The Advocate magazine (Aug)[202]
Sabrang – a mixed group forms in Bangalore (Sep)[203]
Queer Awaaz formed in Los Angeles, later disbanded and merged with Trikone LA (Nov)[5]
Trikone LA was formed by approximately 30 people (RBC)[4][204][205]
Trikone-Northwest formed [206][207]
National Seminar on Gay Rights organized by students of National Law School in Bangalore (Sep)[208]
Meeting for Women who love Women is part of VIth National Conference of Women's Movements, Ranchi (Dec)[4]
- Books:
- Sex, Longing and Not Belonging – A Gay Muslim's Quest for Love and Meaning by Badruddin Khan[209]
- Films:
1998
- Al-Fatiha Foundation, an organization for LGBTQ Muslims worldwide, is founded by Faisal Alam, a Pakistani American.[214][215]
Khushnet.com, a Canadian queer South Asian website, launched (featuring personal ads section named "Nobody knows I met my boyfriend through Khushnet's personals")[216]
Sarani experimental group stages Coming Out with Music in Calcutta (Apr)[68][79]
Sangha Mitra newsletter in Kannada and English published in Bangalore (Feb)[217]
First International Retreat of LGBT Muslims in Boston (Oct)[218]
- DESIDYKES created[5][219]
Gay Bombay (internet group) formed[220][221][222]
GHAR (Gay Housing Assistance Resource) mailing lists start, eventually covering Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore, Canada, and the United States[223]
"Funkasia" South Asian club and cultural night started in Toronto, Canada[224][225][226]
First public performance of Chetan Datar's Marathi-language play Ek Madhav Baug at the Humsafar Trust in Mumbai[227]
- Books
- Films
Fire released in India and theaters are vandalized (Nov-Dec)[231]
- Plays:
1998: First public reading of Ash Kotak's play Hijra at the Riverside Studios, London
1999
Aanchal Trust forms in Bombay with helpline for women (Aug)[232]
Women's Support Group founded in Sri Lanka[233][234][235][236]
Campaign for Lesbian Rights launched in India partly as a response to the violent demonstrations against Fire (Jan)[237][238][239][240]
Fire re-cleared by Central Board of Film Censors (Feb)[4]
Fire released in India[5]
Yaarian, national gay conference in Hyderabad (Feb)[4]
- Al-Fatiha hosts first national conference for LGBT Muslims (May)[241]
Trikone wins New California Media award (May)[4]
Sappho forms in Calcutta for lesbian and bi women (Jun)[242]
Sangama started in Bangalore[243]
The White Party (a gay party) in Bombay raided by police (Jun)[244][245]
Counsel Club and Integration organizes Friendship Walk in Calcutta (Jul)[221][246][247]
Khamosh!Emergency Jari Hai/ Lesbian Emergence published by Campaign for Lesbian Rights in India (Aug)[240][248][249]
LGBT India conducts Operation Sparsh to educate political parties on sexual minority rights (Sep)[4]
Olava (Organized Lesbian Alliance for Visibility and Acceptance) forms in Pune (Nov)[4][250][251]
- Films:
- Books
2020s
2020
2021
Indian's First ever Drag conference was organized virtually by Dragvanti to promote academic discussion on Indian drag [460]
the first All India Queer Mobilization conclave was organised by Mobbera Foundation online where more than 25 Queer rights organizations participated to discuss Reformation plan for queer rights within each Indian state.[461]
Indian & South Asian Lesbian social and support group, GIN & Lime setup in UK by Sophie Cannivady, Sejal Patel and GIN Indian LGBTQ Network UK. on 18 February 2021.
2022
Anish Pathak and Mayank Joshi set up Next GINeration; a social and support group for younger Indian & South Asian LGBTQ people in the UK, on 5 January 2022. Sponsored by GIN Indian LGBTQIA Network UK.
Legendary activist Urvashi Vaid dies (May)[462][463][464][465]
2023
The Supreme Court of India merges all current lower court cases regarding same-sex marriage from across India. The combined case, Supriyo v. Union of India, is heard by a five-member bench of the court. In October, the court rules against the plaintiffs, ruling that the legalization of same-sex marriage, civil unions and adoption is a question for the Parliament and state legislatures of India.
One of the most prominent Sikh voices in British public life, Jasvir Singh talks to the BBC about being a gay Sikh man married to his husband and the challenges faced along the way [1]
Books
Asian Gay Literature: An Annotated Bibliography of Modern LGBTQ Works of Literary Fiction and Biography, Arranged by Country, 2nd edition (2021)
ASIAN GAY LITERATURE, 2nd ed. (2021)
(150-page digital list
of novels, poetry, short
stories, autobiographies,
etc. Includes many works from India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and other countries across Asia)