ABSTRACT
Although LGBTQ identities have a long history of existence and reverence in Indian culture, the British rule in India made masculinity the cornerstone of the inception of colonial policies, deeming same-sex relationships and transgenderism deviant behaviors that led to the anti-sodomy law, or section 377 in other words. This chapter assesses the messages promoted by 10 LGBTQ+ online activist groups in India through a qualitative content analysis of 558 distinct posts from Instagram and Facebook. Rights, justice, and the lived experiences of individuals from the LGBTQ+ community are the cornerstone of LGBTQ+-related social activism, hence it is diverse as well as impactful. India provides an intriguing context for queer studies because queer sexualities are rooted in both Indian history and contemporary times, and the Eurocentric binary taxonomies of gender and sexuality have frequently been questioned for their suitability in explaining a variety of sexual expressions in Indian scriptures, arts, and life histories.
