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The Glasgow Guardian •

Healthcare is harming asexual people: In conversation with Yasmin Benoit

A new report by Stonewall led by Yasmin Benoit and Robbie de Santos highlights how a visit to the GP can do more harm than good for asexual people

When she came out as asexual to her GP, an anonymous participant in Stonewall’s new Ace in the UK report was told, “You have complex psychological issues around sex.” Although she ultimately relented to his demand that she see a psychosexual therapist before receiving a gynaecological referral, what followed was over a year of waiting to receive the
Mid-day •

How the devadasis of Goa fought casteism

A new book by researcher and member of the Gomantak Maratha Samaj that traces its roots to Bahujan women who served at temples and had Brahmin men as patrons, reflects on the earliest liberators of caste and sexual oppression

An anonymous woman of the Samaj, from March 1940 cover of Samaj Sudharak. Pic/Gomantak Maratha Samaj archives

When women from the Gomantak Maratha Samaj first arrived in Bombay in the 1900s, they were seen as a threat… as ‘evil ladies’,” professor-author Dr Anjali Arondek
Mid-day •

Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju on trans representation in showbiz

With her debut in Made in Heaven, trans actor and activist Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju wants to drive home the point that queer stories are best told through the members of the community

“Nothing about us, without us,” says trans rights activist, social media star and budding actress, Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju. “Too often, trans people aren’t involved in the process of their own storytelling, when sharing trans stories on screen should, first and foremost, be about normalising being trans and dra
Mid-day •

Komorebi’s latest single Watch Out embraces the extra-terrestrial within

Indie electronica musician Komorebi’s new single tells a story that is both ‘out of this world’ and replete with semi-autobiographical symbolism

Komorebi, Glorious Luna and director Rahul Dutta behind the scenes of the Watch Out music video

Since 2017, musician Tarana Marwah has been expressing her lifelong adoration of Japanese culture under the moniker Komorebi, which translates to “sunlight leaking through the trees”. It’s only fitting, therefore, that her latest musical endeavour is all ab
Mid-day •

’Fighting casteism alone can come at a grave personal cost’

Oxford law scholar Asang Wankhede, who has roots in the Dalit ghettos of Nagpur, talks about his open-to-all online resource that’s helping marginalised students fighting institutional casteism

Students hold a protest following the suicide of Darshan Solanki, who allegedly jumped off the eighth floor of his IIT-B hostel earlier this year. His parents alleged that a fellow student had harrassed me on the ground of his caste

On Asang Wankhede’s first day at the National Law University (NLU), Del
Mid-day •

Beti padhao fails at Beti bachao

Education is not saving Indian women from suicide, finds a new study supported by Gates Foundation. Family problems emerge as top reason, but effective intervention unlikely until police gather nuanced data about the why and how

The study by PHFI shows that women with education of Class VI or higher make up the largest demographic of suicide cases in India

The general perception,” says professor Rakhi Dandona, “is that education empowers women by providing them with career opportunities and au
Mid-day •

Dive into untold history of Tibetan resistance at this archival exhibition in Colaba

Through records maintained by his freedom fighter father, filmmaker Tenzing Sonam and spouse Ritu Sarin document the hidden struggle of the Tibetan community in a new exhibition in Colaba

Lhamo Tsering and other members of the resistance pictured in Mustang, in the late 1960s. PIC/WHITE CRANE FILMS

We are displaying stories that have never been properly told or appreciated,” says film director Ritu Sarin, who, alongside her husband Tenzing Sonam, created an archival exhibition of the Tibetan r
Mid-day •

Why mental healthcare for LGBTQIA+ community needs to improve in India

Therapy is a space meant to be free of bias and judgement, but LGBTQiA+ persons struggle to find it. mid-day digs up this problem, and offers fixes

I first went to therapy when I was at the lowest point in my life, and feeling suicidal,” says TEDx speaker and diversity leader Ankita Mehra, “but my therapist made me feel even worse, like there was no hope.”

Mehra, who was based in Nagpur at the time, decided to try therapy in her late teens, seeking out a trusted professional to confide in. “I
Mid-day •

‘This performance, this visual story, is me’

Graduating from kimonos to sports bras and tracks to custom-made bodysuits, singer and DJ Kayan talks us through the evolution of her on-stage style

Kayan’s figure-hugging outfits have become a staple of her performances

For Ambika Nayak aka Kayan, there is much more to a live performance than just soulful vocals. “The experience that I’m giving my audience,” she says, “is not just my song, it’s everything—it’s the fashion, the lighting, the visuals.”

Kayan, known for her smooth, genre-defyin
Mid-day •

Here is how you can support indigenous people and learn more about their culture

Ahead of International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9, we’ve curated a list of businesses and media you can engage with to support the community, and also learn more about their culture

Chuba Jamir, a chef from Nagaland, is committed to bringing the indigenous food of the state’s 16 tribes to Mumbai. Jamir, who belongs to Nagaland’s Ao tribe, runs a cloud kitchen in Santacruz which delivers authentic food to homes across Mumbai. The available dishes include signature foods of
The Glasgow Guardian •

Our approach to fertility healthcare needs to change

When I was 17, I was handed a comprehensive list of what I could no longer eat.

It was a few months from when I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) a common condition that affects the female reproductive system, and can lead to issues like Type II Diabetes, weight gain, heart disease and infertility. Sitting in my gynaecologist’s office, a copy of my latest ultrasound image on the desk, I watched, half-amused, half-horrified, as she mapped out my diet plan for the indefinite fut
Mid-day •

Why you need to shop from these high-fashion labels selling gender-fluid clothing

For gender non-conformists who want to show it off in style, we’ve curated a list of clothing and accessories that are queer-committed

Often credited with bringing genderless fashion to India, the brand Purushu Arie believes that “products do not have a gender identity, our minds do”. This is a high-fashion brand, selling both Indian and Western clothing. You can pick up a veshti, a tailored checkered lungi, and pair it with a hand-stenciled Madrasta crop top. A slogan written on some of the br
Mid-day •

44th anniversary special: ‘This city has big industry names to make my dream a reality’

Kirti Narain | Visual artist | This girl from Delhi is living her multimedia artist dream here. Kirti Narain on getting used to bagging the chance to work with celebs. Madhuri Dixit included

Kirti Narain moved to Mumbai in 2022 to pursue her dreams of being a professional industry visual artist. Pics/Nimesh Dave

I'm, not too used to being in front of the camera,” Kirti Narain tells mid-day, with a laugh, after her photo shoot with us. “But I’m always incredibly comfortable behind it.”

Since m
Mid-day •

44th anniversary special: ‘I’m waiting for this city to understand me’

Akash Chopra | Singer-songwriter | The Jaipur musician says that the maximum city is where your art can get the respect it deserves, but only if you survive it

Born and raised in Jaipur, musician Akash Chopra is learning the challenges of living in Bombay, first-hand. Pic/Shadab Khan

To be here, I’ve gone through all my savings. That’s just to pay my rent. It’s not easy to survive in this city,” Akash Chopra tells mid-day over the phone. His words are somber, but they are delivered with a casu
The Glasgow Guardian •

Visiting Glasgow Women’s Library

Glasgow Women’s Library (GWL) has come a long way since its modest beginnings at Garnethill. Stepping through the doors of its present location in Bridgeton, I was transported to a shop front, at the corner of Hill and Dalhousie Street, that seemed unassuming for the UK’s only accredited women’s museum.

The library first opened its doors in 1991, and was intended as a place to celebrate the work of women and support female academics. Their path to success was far from straightforward: they had
The Glasgow Guardian •

Racist Graffiti on UofG campus

According to a post on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, racist graffiti has been found at the St. Andrews building. The graffiti – which has since been painted over – reads “Kill the Chinese.”

This appears to be part of a string of hate-crimes occurring in Glasgow, with similar vandalism recently being found in at least four different locations across the city. Along with the St. Andrews building, racist graffiti also appeared on a flagpole directly outside of the University. The
The Glasgow Guardian •

Dissent shouldn’t be a death sentence

“Someone’s crime was that her hair was flowing in the wind,” rapped Iranian musician Toomaj Salehi – a song lyric that would soon result in his arrest for crimes punishable by death.

Over the past week, international discussion of the situation in Iran has taken on a new, more frantic tone. This is largely due to a particular false news story which spread like wildfire: no, the Republic did not sentence 15,000 people to death. In reality, one unnamed protester so far has been sentenced to death
The Glasgow Guardian •

No, Glasgow is not “The UK’s first feminist city” (yet)

Last month, councillor Holly Bruce put forth a motion which aimed to make public spaces in Glasgow safer and more inclusive for women and people of marginalised genders. The motion, which has since been passed, states that “a gender neutral approach to city development does not work,” and the needs of women require urgent attention in this department. Therefore, the aim is to adopt a feminist approach to town planning and allow women to become central to planning, budgeting and policy developmen
The Glasgow Guardian •

Women’s safety is on the line

Women’s Safety Scotland have recently developed an interactive map to pinpoint locations in Glasgow that may be dangerous for women. The map relies on self-reports from women themselves regarding instances in which they felt unsafe in these areas.

Coloured markers are sprinkled over a notable proportion of the map, each denoting that the location has been marked as unsafe. Along with the countless reports of concern over isolated streets and large gatherings of men, many of these markers repres
Mid-day •

Ahead of his Mumbai show, illusionist Karan Singh tells us more about his ‘Not an Influencer’ tour

mid-day spoke to illusionist Karan Singh about his upcoming show as part of his nationwide Not An Influencer tour

Karan Singh Magic tailors each show to the audience and the city he’s performing in, and can hardly wait to perform in Mumbai. Pic/Instagram

Despite having amassed an impressive social media currency featuring viral collaborations with some of the country’s most high-profile celebrities, Karan Singh doesn’t view himself as an influencer—at least not in the traditional sense. Howeve
The Glasgow Guardian •

What went wrong at Astroworld?

Concertgoers tragically succumbed to injuries sustained at the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas, with 10 people dying in total. Recently, the BBC reported that a nine-year-old boy had passed away from injuries that resulted from the massive crowd surge at the festival. His death makes him the youngest victim of this tragedy so far.

Justifiably, the widely reported tragedy has brought a series of onslaughts on those responsible for the mishandling of the concert. In particular, rapper