10 Books By Indian LGBTQIA+ Authors You Need To Read To Celebrate Pride Month, 2021

It’s Pride Month y’all but do we really need just a month to appreciate and support the LGBTQIA+ community? We think not, which is why we’re here with a list of books written by Indian LGBTQIA+ authors that you absolutely NEED to add to your reading list and tick them off one by one, throughout the year. After all, why do we need an occasion to appreciate these brilliant books?! So, dive right in and let your reading list grow!

1. Facing The Mirror: Lesbian Writing From India By Ashwini Sukthankar

Picture Credits: penguinindia

Facing The Mirror when released was said to give a new and much-needed voice to the lesbian community of India and also a link toward a feeling of belonging. In this beautiful novel, Ashwini has collected hidden, forgotten and triumphant stories of lesbian experience across India that will make your heart feel warmer. Written in celebration of the decriminalisation of Section 377 on IPC, the novel follows a rich history of the queer movement in India. 

2. Red Lipstick: The Men In My Life By Laxmi Narayan Tripathi

Picture Credits: penguinindia

Laxmi Narayan Tripathi is a well-known personality, classical dancer and activist, who has been considered to be one of the leading pioneers of the Transgender movement in India. Her novel The Red Lipstick, written in collaboration with Pooja Pandey, recounts her own sexual awakening and her journey of self-acceptance, the ups and downs in her life and her subsequent fight to get recognised and become the icon that she is today! 

3. A Life in Trans Activism By A. Revathi

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A. Revathi is an author, activist and theatre personality who works in the Bangalore-based Human rights organisation called Sangam. Her novel, A Life In Trans Activism, is a beautiful and courageous tale of her own struggles while living as a Trans woman in India, and a continuation from her previous memoir title, The Truth About Me: A Hijra Life Story, released in 2011. The story is about her quest to live her life with the dignity she deserves and is an enlightening read! 

4. No One Else: A Personal History of Outlawed Love and Sex By Siddharth Dube

This one is a book about the trials, tribulations and subsequent triumphs of the author Siddhart Dube himself. A book that is very personal yet needs to be read by the public for the social impact it’ll have, the book recounts the abrasive homophobia and jabs that the author and people from the LGBTQIA+ community have often faced. Right from childhood, from an atmosphere of privilege, to ultimately bigotry to ultimate persecution, the novel captures these recounts and explores the journey of love and independence!

5. Cobalt Blue By Sachin Pinto Kundalkar

Picture Credits: bookbuchboi

Cobalt Blue was the debut novel by Sachin Kundalkar, written when he was just 22 and was originally published in Marathi. Later translated, the book tells us a story about two siblings,  Tanay and Anuja, who fall in love with the same man staying at their home as a paying guest, and how this seems to shatter the typical Marathi family by the events that follow!

6. Shikhandi: And Other ‘Queer’ Tales They Don’t Tell You By Devdutt Pattnaik 

Picture Credits: jinalrajkotia

Devdutt Pattnaik is a bestselling author of Indian mythology and let’s just say he’s been proving left and right that Indian mythology is and has always been LGBTQIA+-friendly. Taking the example of a revered figure in the Hindu epic, Mahabharata, Devdutt wishes to explore the traditions, examples of queerness and various instances of gender fluidity that have always existed in Hindu mythology but never pointed out! Even the novel, The Pregnant King is another novel where he questions this! 

7. The Boyfriend By R. Raja Rao

Picture Credits: penguin

The Boyfriend is an incredible debut novel by author R Raja Rao and is set during the time of the Bombay Riots of 1992. This brilliant novel captures the vibrant gay culture of the city through the voice of a 40-year old journalist, Yudi and the relationship he shares with Milind Mahadik, a Dalit boy. The book is all about Yudi’s journey of exploring his caste and queerness and makes for a riveting read!  

8. Mohanaswamy By Vasudhendra, Translated By Rashmi Terdal

Picture Credits: ab_reads

Mohanaswamy is a beautiful novel by Vasundhendra, an author and activist and originally published in Kannada, which was later translated by Rashmi Terdal. The novel includes a series of homosexual short stories about the author himself and begins with the story of his long time partner leaving him for women. A heart wrenching read, one that’s filled with his desire to lead a normal life, away from rampant homophobia and the hypocrisy of society, the narrative is sure to draw you in completely!

9. Kari By Amruta Patil 

Picture Credits: harpercollins

Amruta Patil is said to be one of India’s first Graphic writers and her first graphic novel Kari explores a gay female protagonist who seems to explore loneliness, life and love in a bustling city. With a strange and explorative storyline and sensuous graphics, this slice of life graphic novel stands out from the rest and draws you in with just the first page and leaves you with a lasting impression! 

10. The Fabulous Feminist By Suniti Namjoshi 

Picture Credits: flawed.poetry/

The Fabulous Feminist is a collection of the most famous writing by Suniti Namjoshi where she explores themes of feminism and dismantles what has become established norms of sexuality, gender and even literature. This collection brings about her huge collection of work, right from prose, poetry, essays and other works, that explore the diaspora of lesbian feminism and oppression, written in both playful and serious tones. An absolute treat for readers, this one is sure to ignite emotions in you that lay dormant! 

And that’s it, folks! So go ahead and read them all and let us know what you think about these fabulous books in the comments section! Happy pride, y’all!