Being queer in Kashmir: Families, phones, friendships monitored, says report
A report by the Sonzal Welfare Trust highlights the surveillance, stigma, and familial pressure faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals in Kashmir. Despite some progress in public discourse, many queer Kashmiris continue to struggle with the choice between visibility and safety.
Why it matters
It sheds light on the intersection of regional political instability and the human rights of marginalized communities in a conservative society.
SRINAGAR: Phones monitored, friendships scrutinised, movements watched and marriage pushed as a “solution” — these were among the forms of control LGBTQIA+ people in Kashmir described during eight months of fieldwork for a report that documented how visibility could bring acceptance for some but surveillance, stigma and, at times, violence for others. Based on interviews with 60 participants, including 44 LGBTQIA+ community members, the study examined their experiences across families, educational institutions, healthcare, law enforcement and wider social and political structures.Dr Aijaz Ahmad Bund, researcher, activist and assistant professor in the higher education department who led the study, said LGBTQIA+ discourse in Kashmir had changed considerably since he began advocacy work in the early 2010s, but the change had not translated into widespread acceptance.
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