Finding A Safe Space

For queer women, leading a life that feels authentic comes with its fair share of complications. Barry Rogers spotlights the issue

- Barry Rogers

Supriya’s* father was an enigma to her in her teenage years. He wasn’t necessarily a bad father, but he seemed to consciously keep her and her brothers at arm’s length. In college, she came out to her parents as a lesbian, which affected their relationship. “They limited their interactions with me at home, would tell me not to come for family functions, and even tried influencing my brothers to sever ties with me. I felt abandoned.” Now 37, Supriya still lives with the trauma of not having the support of her parents.

Lesbian invisibility has become a deep-seated feature in Indian society and has had a deterring effect on the formation of a lesbian community. As opposed to the visible male homosexual community, lesbian networking has largely taken shape on the peripheries of society’s consciousness, which can be attributed to strong patriarchal undercurrents, male supremacy, and homophobia that have shaped women’s lives in India.