EXCLUSIVE | Are Lok Sabha Election 2019 candidates Queer friendly? The 'Pink List' answers

As a rainbow wave burgeons within the country amidst the Parliamentary elections, the 'Pink List' is intending to lobby queer issues into the mainstream political discourse through contesting politicians. Initiated by Anish Gawande, Devina Buckshee, and Smriti Deora, the trio through Pink List India encapsulates a catalogue of politicians who have extended their support to the LGBTQIA+ community. One of the founders, Anish Gawande while speaking to Republic World, noted how there is a deficiency of documentation of those from the political spectrum who have stood up for the community, in contrast to the those who have made homophobic statements. He said, "There is less documentation of politicians who've extended their support. Pink List is an archive of statements made by politicians from across the parties. This is not a cheer-list or endorsement of their ideologies." READ| Self-proclaimed Film Critic, Kamaal R Khan Booked For Using Offensive Language Against The LGBTQ+ Community Seeking to build a movement that takes the queer and trans right into the political landscape and call for inclusivity of the community, the Pink List is a comprehensive list of politicians contesting the Lok Sabha 2019 elections who have supported the LGBTQIA+ rights publicly. Through this, they subsequently aspire to bring the list in offline to create a queer caucus. However, the Pink List specifies how this is a candidate-conclusive list and not a reflection of their parties. Here are some of the leaders who have been outspoken of the community: View this post on Instagram Jay Panda is contesting as a Bharatiya Janta Party candidate from Kendrapada, Odisha. He introduced Tiruchi Siva’s Rights of Transgender Persons Bill 2014 (Rajya Sabha) in the Lok Sabha. “Stigma attached to [being transgender] is such that people try hard not to live life as they choose, but to hide their gender orientation, to hide their lifestyle. That is not a life of dignity,” he said while introducing the Bill. #PinkListIndiaChangemaker #PinkListChangemaker #Changemaker #pinklistindia #thepinklist #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #queer #queerpolitics #lgbtpolitics #lgbtqpolitics #lqbtindia #lgbtqindia #queerindia #transgender #transgenderrights #transrights #transpolitics #transgenderpolitics #lgbtactivism #lgbtqactivism #queeractivism #transgenderactivism #transactivism #lgbti #jaypanda #bjp #kendrapada #odisha A post shared by The Pink List India (@pinklistindia) on Apr 27, 2019 at 7:55pm PDT View this post on Instagram Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil is contesting as a Shiv Sena candidate from Shirur, Maharashtra. He told the Times of India that he would support any amendment in Section 377 by the government in 2013. #pinklistindia #thepinklist #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #queer #queerpolitics #lgbtpolitics #lgbtqpolitics #lqbtindia #lgbtqindia #queerindia #transgender #transgenderrights #transrights #transpolitics #transgenderpolitics #lgbtactivism #lgbtqactivism #queeractivism #transgenderactivism #transactivism #lgbti #shirur #shivsena #ally #pinklistally A post shared by The Pink List India (@pinklistindia) on Apr 27, 2019 at 12:31pm PDT View this post on Instagram Priya Dutt is contesting as an Indian National Congress candidate from Mumbai North Central, Maharashtra. “I do not think it is a sensitive issue. I feel it is an issue which we need to address sooner or later.” she said in 2013. #pinklistindia #thepinklist #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #queer #queerpolitics #lgbtpolitics #lgbtqpolitics #lqbtindia #lgbtqindia #queerindia #transgender #transgenderrights #transrights #transpolitics #transgenderpolitics #lgbtactivism #lgbtqactivism #queeractivism #transgenderactivism #transactivism #lgbti #mumbai #mumbainorthcentral #inc #incmumbai A post shared by The Pink List India (@pinklistindia) on Apr 27, 2019 at 10:27am PDT View this post on Instagram Poonam Mahajan is the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Mumbai North Central, Maharashtra. “Happiness all around as Equality prevails again,” she tweeted after the 2018 #Section377 verdict. #pinklistindia #thepinklist #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #queer #queerpolitics #lgbtpolitics #lgbtqpolitics #lqbtindia #lgbtqindia #queerindia #transgender #transgenderrights #transrights #transpolitics #transgenderpolitics #lgbtactivism #lgbtqactivism #queeractivism #transgenderactivism #transactivism #lgbti A post shared by The Pink List India (@pinklistindia) on Apr 25, 2019 at 7:43am PDT View this post on Instagram Badaruddoza Khan Murshidabad, West Bengal Communist Party of India (Marxist) Voted in favour of both private member bills against Section 377 and spoke up against the Transgender Persons Bill, 2016. #pinklistindia #thepinklist #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #queer #queerpolitics #lgbtpolitics #lgbtqpolitics #lqbtindia #lgbtqindia #queerindia #transgender #transgenderrights #transrights #transpolitics #transgenderpolitics #lgbtactivism #lgbtqactivism #queeractivism #transgenderactivism #transactivism #lgbti A post shared by The Pink List India (@pinklistindia) on Apr 20, 2019 at 8:50am PDT View this post on Instagram Arpita Ghosh | Balurghat, West Bengal | Trinamool Congress #pinklistindia #thepinklist #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #queer #queerpolitics #lgbtpolitics #lgbtqpolitics #lqbtindia #lgbtqindia #queerindia #transgender #transgenderrights #transrights #transpolitics #transgenderpolitics #lgbtactivism #lgbtqactivism #queeractivism #transgenderactivism #transactivism #lgbti A post shared by The Pink List India (@pinklistindia) on Apr 19, 2019 at 5:12am PDT READ| Gay Couple Recreate The Historic 'Kissing Sailor' Photographer From WWI. Here Is How Twitter Shuns Homophobes Both national parties, BJP and Congress included the marginalised community in their election manifesto. Wherein the BJP specifically addressed the contentious The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, saying that their aim is to bring transgenders to the mainstream through adequate socio-economic and policy initiatives, adding that it will ensure self-employment and skill development avenues for transgender youth. Meanwhile, the Congress standing against the Transgender Bill, 2018 that is pending in the Parliament speaks of protecting the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. The manifesto spoke of directing gender sensitivity training that will be made mandatory in all government departments and organisations including the Armed Forces and the Police Forces.

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EXCLUSIVE | Are Lok Sabha Election 2019 candidates Queer friendly? The 'Pink List' answers

As a rainbow wave burgeons within the country amidst the Parliamentary elections, the 'Pink List' is intending to lobby queer issues into the mainstream political discourse through politicians.

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