Gender and Sexuality

There’s a dearth of large nationwide studies, but smaller surveys in various parts reveal systemic bias, discrimination and harassment of LGBTQIA+ individuals

Rajasthan has witnessed a series of gender-based crimes — from an ICU patient in Alwar, to minor girls in Bikaner and Tonk, the suicide of a woman in Barmer after being blackmailed with rape threats and obscene videos, and a gang rape in the state capital, Jaipur. These incidents point to a deep societal failure, making women’s safety an urgent and critical concern

Across several states, a troubling pattern of violence and discrimination against Dalits persists—ranging from severe crimes like the sexual assault of minors in Uttar Pradesh to acts of public humiliation, such as attacks on wedding processions and the denial of cremation rights. With victims often facing police inaction and systemic barriers, a crucial question arises: how can the constitutional promise of equality be realised for India’s most vulnerable communities, and what will ensure accountability for these persistent atrocities?

The Taliban Tried To Stop Lida Mangal From...

In an expansive order, a division bench of the Madras High Court also court observed that the concept of "family" has to be understood expansively and marriage is not the sole mode to start a family. The court also pulled up the police in Vellore district for showing insensitivity and being non-responsive to the complaints by the petitioner

Though this pioneering feminist activist breathed her last on May 13, 2024, her work with the Thakurvilla Mahila Samiti and Missiom Birubala has been recognized internationally and May 13 has been declared Anti-Superstition Day in Assam

In a landmark judgement delivered on May 6, Maksud Gaffur Sheikh v. State of Maharashtra, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay HC reaffirmed the legal sanctity of continuing and specific consent and rejected character assassination of survivors/victims in rape trials

Communal tensions flare in Haldwani, Nainital after a 75-year-old Muslim man is booked for alleged rape of a minor, a BJP leader and right-wings’ ultimatum targeting Muslim-run businesses sparks communal tensions in the state, leading to attacks on shops, staff, and a mosque, while police inaction persists despite video evidence, and no FIR is filed against the perpetrators of the violence and assault

From a brutal assault in rural Maharashtra to death threats in a Delhi courtroom, the message is chillingly clear: women who uphold the law are not safe

Two shocking incidents of moral policing and harassment involving members of the Muslim community emerged this week. In Muzaffarnagar, a Muslim woman was assaulted and forcibly stripped of her hijab, while in Bengaluru, a young woman was harassed for being in an interfaith relationship with a Hindu man. Both incidents, captured on video, highlight a disturbing rise in intolerance and moral policing, particularly targeting interfaith relationships