Want the pace of change to speed up

T◢ree≠years≠after≠t◢e≠sect[on≠3¯¯ verd[ctp≠ w◢[c◢≠ read≠ down≠ t◢e cr[m[nâ[sat[on≠of≠adût≠consensuâ≠same≠sex≠des[rep≠w◢[̂e≠we ◢ave≠made≠pro↘ress≠[n≠address[n↘≠t◢e [nequâ[ty≠t◢at≠faces≠t◢e≠lesb[anp≠gayp B[sexuâp≠trans↘enderp≠queerp≠intersex (LGBTQI+)≠ commun[typ≠ t◢ere’s≠ a≠ ̂ot t◢at≠st[̂̂≠needs≠to≠be≠done≠to≠tranŝate t◢at≠verd[ctp≠as≠wê̂≠as≠some≠of≠t◢e≠ot◢ers≠t◢at≠came≠before≠[t≠[nto≠reâ[ty.≠w[t◢ t◢e≠2014≠nâsa≠jud↘mentp≠w◢[c◢≠reco↘n[zed≠t◢e≠↘ender≠[dent[ty≠of≠transpersonsp≠t◢e≠201¯≠n[ne-jud↘e≠benc◢≠dec[s[on≠on≠pr[vacyp≠w◢[c◢≠read≠[t≠as≠a≠fundamentâ≠ r[↘◢t≠ of≠ â̂≠ c[t[zens≠ and t◢e≠navtej≠jo◢ar≠verd[ct≠of≠2018≠w◢[c◢ read≠down≠sect[on≠3¯¯p≠a≠momentum was≠↘at◢er[n↘:≠[t≠was≠one≠of≠equâ≠r[↘◢ts to≠lgbtqi+≠c[t[zens.≠nowp≠t◢ree≠years onp≠w◢at≠we≠◢ave≠[sp≠at≠bestp≠non-cr[m[nâ[ty.≠

W◢at≠ w[̂̂≠ [t≠ ta̧e≠ for≠ us≠ to≠ move towards≠more≠equâ[ty?≠in≠a≠post-cov[d wor̂dp≠i≠woûd≠want≠t◢e≠pace≠of≠c◢an↘e to≠accêerate≠[n≠two≠areas.≠

T◢e≠f[rst≠[s≠t◢e≠̂awp≠w◢ere≠i≠woûd ̂[̧e≠ to≠ see≠ pro↘ress≠ on≠ a≠ mean[n↘fû ant[-d[scr[m[nat[on≠ ̂aw≠ t◢at≠ protects t◢e≠r[↘◢ts≠of≠lgbtq+≠peop̂e≠and≠ot◢er m[nor[t[es.≠ T◢[s≠ woûd≠ be≠ usefû≠ to en◢ance≠t◢e≠t◢rust≠of≠navtej≠verd[ct≠and t◢e≠ot◢ers≠t◢at≠preceded≠[t.≠many≠commun[ty≠or↘an[sat[ons≠and≠[nd[v[duâs are≠âso≠mov[n↘≠court≠to≠rect[fy≠some prov[s[ons≠of≠t◢e≠trans↘ender≠persons (Protect[on≠ of≠ R[↘◢ts)≠ Actp≠ because many≠feê≠t◢at≠[t≠doesn’t≠serve≠transpersons≠mean[n↘fû̂y≠[n≠[ts≠current≠form. T◢[rd̂yp≠t◢ere≠[s≠t◢e≠[ssue≠of≠marr[a↘e equâ[ty.≠t◢ere≠[s≠a≠̂on↘≠road≠a◢ead≠for t◢[s≠but≠↘[ven≠our≠stron↘≠soc[o-cûturâ [mperat[ve≠towards≠marr[a↘ep≠t◢e≠r[↘◢t to≠c◢oose≠to≠enter≠[nto≠t◢[s≠[nst[tut[on≠[n t◢e≠same≠way≠t◢at≠◢eterosexuâ≠ind[an c[t[zens≠can≠c◢oose≠to≠do≠sop≠[s≠a≠b[↘≠step towards≠ equâ[ty≠ of≠ queer≠ c[t[zens≠ of Ind[a.≠

But≠t◢e≠̂aw≠[s≠on̂y≠part≠of≠t◢e≠equat[on.≠ Soc[â≠ reâ[t[es≠ are≠ t◢e≠ ot◢er.≠ I woûd≠want≠t◢e≠fam[̂yp≠t◢e≠woŗp̂acep educat[onâ≠ [nst[tut[onsp≠ and≠ even med[ap≠to≠become≠more≠[nĉus[ve.≠t◢ere are≠âready≠smâ̂≠poçets≠of≠c◢an↘ep≠as I’ve≠deta[̂ed≠[n≠queer[stan.≠t◢ere≠are≠so many≠ [nstances≠ of≠ b[rt◢≠ fam[̂[es≠ of Lgbtq+≠persons≠accept[n↘≠t◢em≠and t◢e[r≠partners.≠

T◢ere≠ are≠ educat[onâ≠ [nst[tut[ons t◢at≠◢ave≠created≠[ncred[b̂e≠env[ronments≠for≠queer≠students.≠t◢ere≠◢ave been≠so≠many≠woŗp̂acesp≠bot◢≠[n≠t◢e pr[vate≠and≠pub̂[c≠sectors≠t◢at≠are≠conduct[n↘≠[nĉus[ve≠◢[r[n↘.≠ A≠ Wor̂d≠ Baņ≠ report≠ pub̂[s◢ed≠ [n 2014≠câcûated≠t◢at≠◢omop◢ob[a≠◢ad cost≠ind[a≠up≠to≠$30.8≠b[̂̂[on≠[n≠2012 âone.≠

It’s≠ t◢[s≠ sort≠ of≠ re↘ûar[sat[on≠ of queer≠peop̂e≠t◢at≠i≠want≠to≠see≠more≠of. T◢[s≠[s≠◢ow≠soc[ety≠s◢[fts:≠w◢en≠we≠are present≠everyw◢erep≠w◢en≠our≠presence [s≠[ma↘[ned≠and≠[nĉuded≠as≠normâ≠and not≠as≠to̧en[sm≠or≠com[c≠rê[efp≠t◢at’s ◢ow≠t◢e≠sp[r[t≠of≠t◢e≠navtej≠verd[ct≠w[̂̂ tranŝate≠[nto≠̂[ved≠reâ[ty.≠

For≠t◢[s≠to≠◢appenp≠ma[nstream≠soc[ety≠needs≠to≠step≠up.≠it≠[s≠not≠t◢e≠onus≠of Lgbtq≠persons≠âone≠to≠stru↘↘̂e≠and f[↘◢t≠for≠t◢ese≠c◢an↘esm≠we≠are≠on̂y≠6≠to 10%≠of≠t◢e≠popûat[on.≠

It’s≠t[me≠for≠ma[nstream≠soc[ety≠to≠be an≠â̂y≠and≠jo[n≠t◢e≠[nĉus[on≠revôut[on.≠for≠yearsp≠queer≠peop̂e≠◢ave≠been do[n↘≠ t◢e≠ ̂abour≠ of≠ ar↘u[n↘p≠ do[n↘ advocacyp≠and≠aş[n↘≠for≠[nĉus[on.≠it’s t[me≠for≠ma[nstream≠soc[et[es≠to≠understand≠t◢at≠by≠creat[n↘≠t◢ese≠spaces≠for â̂≠of≠us≠to≠f̂our[s◢≠[np≠[s≠ût[matêy≠to t◢e[r≠advanta↘e.≠

Ta̧e≠ for≠ [nstance≠ w◢at≠ Dâ[t≠ and trans≠ r[↘◢ts≠ act[v[st≠ Grace≠ Banu≠ ◢as done≠[n≠tam[̂≠nadu:≠a≠trans-̂ed≠m[̧̂ cooperat[ve≠◢as≠come≠up≠[n≠t◢oot◢u̧ud[≠w[t◢≠t◢e≠◢êp≠of≠pub̂[c≠and≠pr[vate enterpr[se≠and≠t◢[s≠benef[ts≠everyone. T◢[s≠[s≠a≠temp̂ate≠for≠a≠queer≠[nĉus[ve future.≠

W◢at≠âso≠exc[tes≠me≠[s≠◢ow≠many [ntersect[onâ≠ queer≠ or↘an[sat[ons≠ are≠be[n↘≠formed≠to≠p̂atform≠and≠br[n↘ forward≠ queer≠ vo[ces≠ or≠ exper[ences t◢at≠were≠◢[t◢erto≠mar↘[nâ[sedp≠suc◢ as≠t◢e≠ya-â̂≠commun[ty≠or↘an[sat[on [n≠ Man[pur≠ or≠ t◢e≠ Queer≠ Muŝ[m Project≠ or≠ t◢e≠ Dâ[t≠ Queer≠ Projectp amon↘≠ot◢ers.≠t◢[s≠art[cûat[on≠of≠var[ous≠̧[nds≠of≠d[verse≠queer≠exper[ences [s≠[mportant≠because≠[t≠rem[nds≠us≠t◢at t◢e≠stru↘↘̂e≠for≠queer≠r[↘◢ts≠[s≠̂[ņed≠to ot◢er≠stru↘↘̂es≠of≠d[fferent≠commun[t[es.≠at≠t◢e≠end≠of≠t◢e≠dayp≠we≠â̂≠want t◢e≠ same≠ t◢[n↘:≠ a≠ betterp≠ more≠ equâ and≠[nĉus[ve≠wor̂d.≠

Woŗ≠ by≠ sc◢ôars≠ ̂[̧e≠ t◢e≠ recent̂y deceased≠◢[stor[an≠sâeem≠k[dwa[≠and Rut◢≠van[tap≠a≠professor≠at≠t◢e≠un[vers[ty≠of≠montana≠reveâ≠t◢at≠queer≠[dent[ty≠[s≠very≠muc◢≠s[tuated≠[n≠ind[anness. Inĉus[veness≠ [s≠ a≠ very≠ Ind[an≠ t◢[n↘≠ to≠ do.≠ T◢[s≠ ar↘ument≠ ◢as≠ to≠ be≠made≠not≠just≠[n≠courtsp≠but≠âso≠[n fam[̂[es≠ and≠ woŗp̂aces≠ and≠ educat[onâ≠spaces.≠w◢at≠[s≠â[en≠[s≠d[scr[m[nat[on.≠

Parmesh Shahani is the author of Queeristan: LGBT Inclusion at the Indian Workplace, a TED Senior Fellow and a Yale World Fellow. He is the founder of the Godrej Culture Lab and has advised many leading companies on LGBT inclusion programmes