LGBTQ-Friendly Travel In India Is Here, But Are We Ready For It?

In 2009, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) – the provision criminalizing sexual intercourse that is “against the law of nature” – was scrapped as it violated the fundamental rights guaranteed in the Indian constitution. Four years later, the LGBTQ community collectively mourned the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the provision once again. Almost a decade since this fight for equality first found its space in mainstream media, the LGBTQ community in India has grown exponentially. From Mumbai’s Queer Azaadi Pride March each year to a Gay Prince who recently opened the gates of his palace for the community, the LGBTQs of the country have been striving to create an inclusive environment for themselves, and so far, they’ve succeeded.

I. At ‘Home’ vs. ‘The Hills’ - Where Can The Queer Community Be Free?

Today, urban cities might almost seem like a safe haven if your sexual orientation does not fall in line with what’s socially considered ‘normal’. With their annual pride parades and monthly queer-themed events and parties, these metropolitans are bustling with a kind of carefree nature that allows you to stand in the face of prejudice and holler right at it. But as liberating as that might seem, one still can’t deny the fact that this newfound freedom comes with its own set of unavoidable constraints. While a certain section of the community is able to locate inclusive work environments, cruise through public spaces without attracting too many raised eyebrows, or walk down the street confidently—these freedoms still exist in a very limited ecosystem that has been created after years of struggle, ones that heteronormative society take for granted and seem exclusively available to those who have had access to opportunities and economic backgrounds that make choices available. It’s one thing to visit your usual cafe and be greeted with an understanding smile but to travel to a hill station in another corner of the country, unaware of whether or not you’ll be accepted for who you are, is a whole different ball game.

For same-sex couples in India, travelling within the country becomes a heteronormative experience by default. Two men or women checking into a hotel are often rendered invisible as family members or friends looking to split the cost of a room. “I don’t think I have ever checked in as a homosexual couple. The assumption is that it won’t be understood. Moreover, they automatically give us twin beds instead of a double bed,” says Koninika Roy, the Advocacy Manager at Humsafar Trust, who identifies as a bisexual woman. “If you’re gender non-conforming, then you’re likely to be stared at for your gender expression,” she explains.

Whether such discrimination is limited to certain areas only is a debatable subject. The owner of an LGBTQ-inclusive couple stay in Mukteshwar, Uttarakhand, Nishant Singh, has a unique perspective to offer. “Unless you’re indulging in PDA or being flamboyant, I don’t think anybody cares if you’re gay or not. Moreover, travelling as a homosexual can at times be a liberating experience too. I might be ashamed of holding my partner’s hand and walking down the street in my home city because my neighbours might notice. But if I am in a different city, say Pondicherry, the chances of running into someone I know are very less. So I might feel more comfortable being myself there.”

Having said that, India’s LGBTQ+ tourism culture is not a particularly thriving one. In fact, it barely exists. Internationally, LGBTQ tourism is all about nightlife, spas, cruises, parties, and restaurants—spaces that are designed for and welcoming of the community. But in India, most homosexual couples end up doing exactly what ‘straight’ couples do. This lack of infrastructure stems from insufficient knowledge about queer culture as a whole. While homosexuals can still comfortably check into a hotel, if they’re discreet enough, the absence of acknowledgement as a ‘couple’ is one of the many reasons why they feel uninvited. And then, what about the ‘others’?

II. All The Colours Of The Rainbow

In 2014, the transgender community of India was granted the status of the ‘third gender’. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) vs. Union of India judgement came like a breath of fresh air for a community that had been living on the fringes of our society for centuries. Four years later, the struggle continues. Travelling still remains an inaccessible privilege to a huge section of the Indian transgender community comprising Hijras and Eunuchs. “Firstly, not all trans people have a proof of identity. Secondly, people often stare at you as they’re trying to judge whether you’re male or female. Restrooms are a big issue when you’re travelling as there are no gender-neutral public restrooms. Personally, thinking about all these things makes me want to avoid travelling even though I would love to,” says Aditya Batavia, a 28-year-old transman living in Mumbai.

III. Who’s Lending A Helping Hand?

Nevertheless, progress seems to be steadily unfolding. Our national capital, Delhi, has already gained a reputation for being one of the most queer-friendly cities in the country. The Mister & Art House, India’s first boutique hotel for gay men (located in Delhi and Jaipur, both), and IndjaPink, a travel company that customizes itineraries for LGBTQ tourists, are some of the organisations contributing towards building a dynamic queer culture in India. Delhi also has a spa specifically for gay men — Mykonos. Other LGBTQ-centric facilities include Serene Journeys, a Delhi-based LGBT-inclusive travel company, and Pink Vibgyor, which specialises in arranging honeymoons and gay travel in countries such as Nepal, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Indian Ocean by picking out LGBTQ-friendly stays that are inclusive and safe for travellers.

Other cities are also catching up. Sofitel Mumbai and The LaLit chain of hotels are both extremely queer-friendly in their approach. Vagator Eco Resort, run by Varun Singal, is an inclusive holiday resort. Also, the founder of India’s first LGBTQ friendly yoga retreat called Simply Yoga, Varun chose the state for a very specific reason. “Being in Goa helps as it’s a society that doesn’t bother too much with other people’s lives as long as you don’t interfere with theirs. Families, as you can imagine, are another matter and so is Section 377, which results in us working under the radar since we aren’t really doing anything that is illegal,” he tells Homegrown. The staff at most of these hotels is trained to follow a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy, and is, sometimes, from the LGBTQ+ community itself. This not only ensures sensitivity on behalf of the employees but also provides them with an employment space that is free of any kind of discrimination.

While cafes like Jugmug Thela in Delhi, The Humming Tree in Bangalore, and Kitty Su are known for their LGBTQ-friendly events and parties, Chez Jerome Q in Delhi has openly declared itself as an LGBTQ cafe (sans the ‘friendly’). Nomenclature, it seems, is an important pillar of long-term growth in the society. Many cafes and hotels might refer to themselves as ‘gay-friendly’ instead of ‘LGBTQ friendly’, as the word ‘gay’ is often used as an umbrella term for various queer identities. However, there does seem to be an inherent bias in the queer tourism culture that seems to be developing in the country. While there are hotels and spas for gay men exclusively, there are no such options available for women who identify as lesbians. According to Koninika Roy, this bias seems to reflect within the community as well. “There are queer spaces in every city. Most of these are public spaces, called ‘cruising spots’, which are visited by gay men to find sexual partners. However, there aren’t any such spaces for queer women, that I know of.”, she tells us.

IV. The Whisper Network

Since the law of the land is not in favour of the growing LGBTQ+ culture in the country, publicity for many of the existing queer-friendly hotels and cafes, and the coming up of new queer-friendly spaces, is not an easy task. Most of these places prefer word-of-mouth advertising from a purely business point of view. “In India, it is difficult to survive as an LGBTQ-only place as there isn’t enough business. Moreover, if we advertise overtly, we might run the risk of being labeled as a place for gay men only, and not one families can visit.”, says Nishant Singh, the owner of Birdcage.

However, there is a massive gap when it comes to information about LGBTQ-friendly tourism in India. Portals like Yaariyan, a community for LGBTQ youth in the country, are constantly flooded with queries about inclusive spaces. Eagles Underground, a queer traveller group, is trying to bridge this gap by organising travel itineraries for community members. But the progress is still relatively slow, inadequate, and unavailable freely on public forums. Apart from a handful of articles on the internet, there is close to no information about hotels that are LGBTQ-friendly. Most of the information is just hearsay and the queer community often runs the risk of being treated with hostility while travelling to unexplored places.

Travelling, at the end of the day, continues to remain a privilege in a country like India. And even more so when it comes to the queer community. Not everyone can afford a hotel overlooking the Himalayas. Facilities like Mister and Art House, albeit successful in their attempt to give back to the community, are still quite inaccessible in terms of affordability and pricing. These luxury spaces are safe only for those who belong to the upper economic strata of the society. The rest are left to fend for themselves. Moreover, realistic experiences like backpacking through the country or travelling on a budget are difficult for the LGBTQs of the society due to the social stigma and taboo that comes with openly expressing one’s sexual orientation and gender identity.

The LGBTQ+ community in India is growing with every passing minute and it is indeed a force to reckon with. However, the battle is a long one and we’re nowhere close to the end. Even if Section 377 was to be scrapped overnight, there is very little chance of waking up to a utopian world where no one would discriminate against their queer counterparts.

We need to tackle not just the policies and the legalities, but also break the social and cultural shackles of the society. The freedom to travel fearlessly is only one of the many milestones to be achieved in this arduous journey.

Feature Image Courtesy: queerty.com

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The Invisible Lives Of Transmen In India

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