Beyond the Binary
[This artwork was contributed under the pen name Moony.]
Maya Gender and Sexuality Magazine
Representation of LGBTQI Characters: Stereotypes and Tokenism
There are numerous criteria for judging a character which we come across in books, TV shows, movies and other popular media platforms. We look for characters who are relatable and memorable with adequate character...
Creator’s Judgement
A magnifying glass is also known as bi-convex lens which is a combination of two convex lenses. From an unusual distance, the image formed through the glasses appears inverted but at a distance close...
Fandry : Waning Desire and Waxing Caste
The film Fandry, directed by Nagraj Manjule is a Marathi film surrounding the themes of repression, caste and sexuality. Several subversive and implicit themes in the film enrich this story of unrequited love from...
Don’t Divide the Colours of Pride
The universe as a whole, is but an ocean of immortality, with various gems and priceless stones, floating in the cosmos defying gravity. Our planet amongst the crores, is another renowned yet claimed...
Hindu Mythology and the Forgotten Queer Characters
The queer movement in India has sparked nationwide debates all over the country. The battle against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code has been won, however the war against the heteronormative structure of...
Sexuality, Stigma and the Plight of Mental Health in the LGBTQ+ Community
Homosexuality is no new ‘concept’ to India, however, it still remains a taboo, trapped behind the bars of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The draconian law, implemented by the colonial...
The Transgender Community: Legally Equal, But Socially Unacceptable
Transgender individuals occupy the traffic signals and junctions largely in urban areas. Yet, invisible visibility continues to haunt them. When met with non-conforming gender identities the immediate reaction of any community is that of...
Distract and Punish
This piece depicts child sexual abuse questioning whether the death sentence would really curb the crime, or it’s an easy way to distract from the actual problem? The work is on canvas with use...
Review: ‘The Combahee River Collective Statement’, A Manifesto by Black Feminist Lesbians
Authored by a collective of self-proclaimed black feminist lesbians, ‘The Combahee River Collective Statement’ is a manifesto that addresses the issues of those at the bottom of the hierarchical power structure in a society,...
If I Was The “Other”
If I was the “other” is a piece I am supposed to write. But what is the other, what is it that makes them the “other”, why is there a need for there to...
Foreword: Volume 1: Issue 1
Maya is a name affectionately selected for the ease through which it conveys complexity. ‘Love’ in Nepali, ‘illusion’ in Sanskrit, and many more meanings that it holds within its two syllables. What do we...
Invisible Sexual Repression: Destabilising Foundational Norms [Book Review]
I write this short paper as a comment on Sara Mills and Michel Foucault’s works. Sara Mills analyses Foucault’s observations on sexuality from his book titled, ‘The History of Sexuality Volume 1’. This paper...
The L Word – A Ghazal
Such epistemic murk around the L word. Aren’t all trying to work around the L word? No Shireen for me, no Heer, I’m no Qais, Other desires too lurk around the L word. Jehangir’s...
Seeta Aur Geeta
[This artwork has been contributed by Mishika Chowdhary, law student, Jindal Global Law School, Sonipat. She is also the Creative Editor of Maya.] This is an adaptation of Kira Blake Schnitzler’s art work.
Section 377 and the Colonization of the Mind
Indeed, while it is popular today to condemn the period of the Muslim rule in India as regressive and narrow minded, attitudes towards homosexuality were far more progressive among Muslim rulers than the British...
Muana
(Muana has specific meaning in the context. Muana refers to the ‘place of origin’. In this poem, Muana is trying to locate herself in the society after accepting that she was a lesbian. It...
A Curious Case of Men’s Rights Activism – A Note on the #metoo Incident in JGU
The code of conduct of an ideal ‘bro’ includes celebrating the entitlement heterosexual men commonly share in talking about their girlfriends, hook ups and dates not in a manner that celebrates the agency of...
