“I wondered if I could create a minuscule postmodern hippie outpost, a safe haven for artists, musicians, writers, poets, activists, and thinkers — essentially anyone who wanted to escape the relentless tyranny of the city for a little while,” Sabeen Mahmud described her inspiration behind founding The Second Floor—a coffeehouse and haven for progressive expression—in a recent interview with MIT’s Innovations Magazine. On April 24th, the Karachi-based human rights and counterculture

This may just be the all time best slogan at any desi queer pride march. The third edition of Hyderabad Queer Pride and the first one in the newborn state of Telangana took place on the 8th of February with color, culture, and a touch of humor. The march had an underlying theme focusing on Telangana culture. Various signs condemning Section 377—India’s notorious ant-LGBT law were also seen in abundance. Check

“Hazel eyed-chic-sleek-gorgeously glamorous twinkle toed dancer charmer of the silver screen” is how the Queen of Bollywood cabaret—Helen—is described in a publicity piece from back in ’73. Helen first appeared in Bollywood films in the early 50s where she cut her teeth as a chorus dancer. Her big break came along in 1958 when she performed solo in the film Howrah Bridge to “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu” with playback

Tis the season to be jolly, oh Holi…oops Holly.   There will be a lot of parties, sharties this time and pot lucks. Now you of course cannot take halwa and gulab jamun to a house party. Too sticky. What is the quickest dessert you can whip up? It’s time to look in the bedside table—I mean the pantry—and bring out the whipped cream and cherry. The easiest thing to

Join renowned feminist scholar and writer, Lata Mani as she presents her recent collaboration with Argentinian filmmaker Nicolas Grandi,  an experimental 38 min video entitled *De Sidere 7*, a meditation on queer embodiment, desire and urban space shot in Delhi and Bangalore, India. The screening is co-sponsored by the A/P/A Studies and Gender and Sexuality Studies Programs in the Dept of SCA, the A/P/A Institute, CSGS, SouthAsia@NYU. Its free and open to the public. WHEN: Friday Oct

Don’t miss the debut performance of Two Women Talking by Monsoon Bissell and Benaifer Bhadha at A/R/T New York–South Oxford Space. Here’s a description by the producers, “It is an unscripted telling in which two women weave their real life stories together – stories that take place between western and eastern worlds, touching on issues of personal identity, culture, gender, sexuality, violence, illness, and tradition. Each performance has a unique- ness in

Gay.net’s latest slideshow features pics from Sholay parties past with an eye for all the handsome boys who have helped make Desilicious one hot bash! Check out all the cuties who’ve been caught of camera and get yourself to Desilicious Hot Pink Pride on June 28th to find them all the dance floor.

Our favorite gaysian drag artist, Asifa Lahore collaborated with our favorite VJ Neeraj (aka Lotus Visual) to create this moving music video that explores the real and perceived boundaries between genders. When Conchita Wurst won the 2014  Eurovision Song Contest, Asifa was inspired by her achievement and developed this cover of Rise Like A Phoenix with Bollywood influences and a verse in Urdu/Hindi. Neeraj describes the piece which is part of an ongoing