Originally from Bihar, Ravi said that during the pandemic, while confined at home, they made the “incredibly challenging” decision to tell his friends about their identity. “Sadly, they distanced themselves from me, a reaction all too common in my village where my identity is labelled as bhimari, a disease.”
Ravi met their partner Rohit at a Pride event in January. Rohit told Newslaundry he’s kept his queer identity a secret from his family, confiding only in his sister.
“When I first revealed my truth to my sister, she was taken aback and tears filled her eyes,” Rohit said. “She expressed concern about how our parents would react and the tensions it might cause. It was challenging to help her understand but eventually she accepted me for who I am.”
North Campus echoed with similar stories. Pallavi, 22, is from Shimla where she “always felt constrained and unable to embrace my true identity”. “When I stepped foot in Delhi last November, it was like a breath of fresh air.”
Mercy, 22, also spoke about finding her people, a community of like-minded individuals, at college. A student of Miranda College at Delhi University, Mercy grew up in Manipur.
“Gender for me is fluid. I like to express myself in many different ways,” Mercy said. “Within my college space, people are incredibly welcome. They are genuinely happy to witness others celebrating their true selves, whether through their choice of attire or by raising their voices. It’s a safe haven for me.”
But not everyone found this safe haven. Raghavi Shukla, 25, graduated from Faculty of Law and “my experience within the campus was horrendous, with a complete lack of support from the administration”. Raghavi remembered being on the receiving end of transphobic slurs and derogatory language, something they’d also experienced while growing up in Kanpur.