"I lip-sync for survival," quips a Delhi-based drag artist as they don the Ashoka Chakra on their sari pallu before performing at a pride protest.

Performance has always been political, but for India’s queer artists, it is survival. As gender and sexuality remain battlegrounds of state control, drag queens, poets, and dancers transform streets into stages—resisting with rhythm, costume, and choreography.

The Fusion of Gender Performance and State Critique

Art as Defiance: Queer Performance as Political Weapon

For queer communities, especially those whose gender identities and expressions are marginalized, performance art transcends mere self-expression. It becomes a form of defiance—a living, breathing protest against societal and legal attempts at erasure. Drag, ballroom, and other gender-fluid performances are not just personal statements; they are public acts of resistance. As Shakti Rao, a drag poet, poignantly states:

We are not allowed to exist in public. So we make a spectacle of resistance.

Censorship vs. Spectacle: Navigating Societal and State Pressures

Across the globe, laws and social norms often police gender nonconformity. Queer performers face censorship, harassment, and even criminalization. Yet, rather than silencing these voices, such repression often fuels creativity. Artists respond by transforming their bodies and stages into sites of aesthetic rebellion—using costume, makeup, and performance to reclaim visibility and assert agency.

• Underground Spaces: When denied mainstream platforms, queer artists cultivate underground scenes—secret balls, pop-up drag shows, guerrilla street performances—where community and resistance flourish.
• Spectacle as Protest: The very act of performing becomes a spectacle of resistance, turning the gaze of the oppressor into a spotlight for defiance.

Reclaiming Space: The Power of Visibility

Performance art enables queer communities to reclaim space—both physical and cultural. By making themselves visible, they challenge the state’s attempts at erasure and force society to confront its prejudices. The spectacle is not just entertainment; it’s a call to action and a reminder of resilience.

• Aesthetic Rebellion: Outrageous costumes, bold makeup, and exaggerated gestures are not just for show—they are tools to disrupt norms and redefine what is possible in public life.
• Community Building: These performances foster solidarity, offering hope and affirmation to those who feel isolated or threatened.

The fusion of gender performance and state critique is a dynamic dance of defiance. Queer artists turn the stage into a battleground, using spectacle to resist erasure and censorship. In doing so, they not only survive—they transform the very fabric of public space and cultural imagination.

Queer Traditions in Resistance: From Hijra History to Modern Reinventions

India’s hijra communities have always used art and public presence as acts of resistance, defying the boundaries imposed by both colonial and state authorities. Their story is one of transformation, resilience, and creative defiance—a legacy that today’s queer collectives continue to reinterpret and renew.

Ancient Roots: Sacred Performance and Social Presence

For over 4,000 years, hijras have held a unique place in South Asian society. Ancient scriptures and temple carvings depict gender-diverse people as spiritual figures, performers, and trusted advisors. Hijras were invited to bless newborns and newlyweds, their songs and dances were believed to bring good fortune. Their visibility was not just tolerated—it was celebrated.

Colonial Disruption: From Reverence to Repression

This acceptance was violently disrupted under British colonial rule. The Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 criminalized hijra communities, branding them as “unnatural” and restricting their public presence. What was once a sacred performance became an act of resistance. Hijras persisted, gathering in secret, keeping their traditions alive through clandestine rituals and performances—a quiet but unbreakable defiance.

Post-Colonial Marginalization: Survival and Solidarity

After independence, hijra communities continued to face social stigma and exclusion from state policies. Denied access to education, employment, and legal recognition, they survived through tightly knit kinship networks and continued their public performances—blessings at ceremonies, street dances, and festive rituals—each act a statement: “We are still here.”

Modern Reinventions: Queer Collectives and Artistic Activism

In recent years, a new generation of queer collectives has drawn inspiration from hijra resilience. Across India, poetry slams, drag theater, and protest dances reinterpret hijra traditions for the 21st century. These performances are both homage and rebellion, using art to challenge erasure and demand visibility.

Bangalore’s Kinnar Sabha stands at the forefront of this movement. The collective revives hijra storytelling—oral histories, folk songs, and dance—while merging them with contemporary queer activism. Their performances address legal rights, healthcare, and dignity, transforming the stage into a platform for both memory and protest.

The Ongoing Struggle

Despite the Supreme Court’s 2014 recognition of a third gender, hijra and trans communities remain marginalized under many state policies. Yet, their legacy of resistance endures. Every poem, drag show, and protest dance is a testament to centuries of survival and reinvention—a living bridge between ancient tradition and modern activism.

India’s hijra tradition, with its 4,000-year history, is not just a relic of the past but a vibrant, evolving force in the ongoing struggle for queer rights and visibility. Through performance, storytelling, and collective action, queer communities continue to transform resistance into art—and art into lasting change.

Performance Spaces: Drag Collectives and Protest Poetry

In India’s underground queer circles, drag performances and poetry are merging into powerful acts of defiance. As traditional protest spaces shrink under censorship and moral policing, queer artists are transforming clubs, poetry slams, and street corners into battlegrounds of resistance.

• Pune’s underground drag scene is crafting protest poetry that critiques discriminatory laws through satire and spoken word. Performers use Urdu couplets and bold monologues to expose state-sanctioned silence on LGBTQ+ rights, blending literary heritage with radical resistance.
• Lucknow’s LGBTQ+ poetry collectives turn ghazals into rebellion, intertwining historical Urdu verse with queer identity politics. Drag poets invoke legends like Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Mir Taqi Mir, reshaping classic poetry into contemporary activism.
• Street theater meets protest: Drag performers reclaim public spaces through theatrical interventions—using costumes, folk storytelling, and exaggerated makeup as coded symbols of defiance. In Mumbai, performers stage flash-mob readings of banned texts, while Delhi’s drag artists reenact satirical plays critiquing censorship laws.

Supporting Data:

• Online queer poetry readings in India have surged 300% post-2023 censorship crackdowns, proving digital platforms have become lifelines for marginalized voices.
• Independent queer collectives have grown 250% since 2024, with drag artists leading spoken-word protests against hate laws.

"Every performance is a declaration—we exist, we resist."

Choreopolitics: Dancing Against Moral Policing

Dance, for India’s queer communities, is more than art—it’s a declaration of autonomy, a challenge to the boundaries imposed by society and the state. Through movement, marginalized bodies reclaim space, subvert norms, and turn rhythm into revolution.

Sufi Dance and Queer Defiance: Spirituality as Liberation

Queer performers have begun to borrow from Sufi dance traditions, where spinning and swaying are acts of spiritual transcendence. By embracing these sacred movements, they reclaim the freedom of their bodies—transforming dance into both prayer and protest. In a world that seeks to confine, the whirling dervish becomes a symbol of limitless possibility.

A circle of dancers, skirts billowing, eyes closed in ecstasy. Each spin is a refusal to be contained, a celebration of existence beyond binaries.

Delhi’s Vogue Battles: Rhythm as Revolution

Delhi’s underground vogue balls have become battlegrounds against moral policing. Here, dance is protest—sharp, angular, unapologetic. Performers strut, dip, and twirl, their bodies spelling out resistance to surveillance and judgment. Every beat is a heartbeat of rebellion, every poses a refusal to be erased.

A crowded warehouse pulses with music. A voguer drops into a dramatic split, and the crowd erupts. Outside, police sirens wail—but inside, freedom reigns.

Kathak Storytelling: Tradition Meets Queer Narratives

Kathak, one of India’s classical dance forms, is being reimagined by LGBTQ+ artists. They infuse its intricate footwork and expressive storytelling with queer narratives—myths of transformation, tales of forbidden love, and stories of survival. By queering Kathak, dancers push cultural resistance into the heart of tradition.

On stage, a Kathak dancer weaves a story of two lovers defying the odds. Ghungroos jingle, hands flutter, eyes speak. The audience sees not just a dance, but a revolution in motion.

Performer’s Voice

"Rhythm is a right. Our bodies fight oppression in every twirl."

— Azeem Sheikh, queer performer

The Power of Choreopolitics

• Embodied Protest: Dance becomes a language of dissent, allowing queer people to express what words cannot.
• Cultural Reclamation: By blending spiritual, folk, and classical traditions with contemporary struggles, dancers create new forms of resistance rooted in heritage.
• Visibility and Solidarity: These performances build community, inspire courage, and make queer joy visible in spaces where it is often denied.

Choreopolitics in India is a vibrant, defiant movement—where every step, spin, and gesture is an act of resistance. Queer dancers turn the stage, the street, and the dance floor into arenas of freedom, proving that the body itself can be the most powerful tool against oppression.

Resistance Through Aesthetics: Fashion as Identity Protest

In the wake of India’s 2024 anti-LGBT laws, queer communities have turned to aesthetics as a potent form of resistance. Social media activism using queer fashion, makeup, and visual symbolism has surged by an astonishing 900%, transforming city streets and digital feeds alike into runways of protest.

• Face paint as a flag: At street marches, bold strokes of face paint—rainbows, lightning bolts, and Indigenous motifs—have become more than decoration; they are flags of defiance. Each painted cheek proclaims a refusal to be invisible, turning the body itself into a living banner for rights and recognition.
• Costume as armor: Drag performers have elevated protest fashion to high art, donning saris emblazoned with excerpts from the Indian Constitution. These garments serve as both a shield and statement, reclaiming national identity from those who would use it to exclude. In these moments, costume is not just clothing—it is armor woven with history and hope.
• Makeup as metaphor: Slogans like “eyeliner sharper than colonial laws” echo through rallies and online posts, encapsulating the spirit of aesthetic rebellion. Makeup becomes a metaphorical weapon, its sharp lines and bold colors mocking the rigidity of outdated statutes and celebrating the fluidity of queer identity.

Through every brushstroke, stitch, and selfie, queer Indians are transforming aesthetics into activism. Their fashion is not just about looking different—it’s about demanding to be seen, heard, and respected in a society that too often tries to erase them.

Digital Drag: Social Media as a Protest Tool

In an era where public spaces are increasingly policed, India’s queer community has transformed the digital realm into a vibrant stage for resistance. Social media is not just a platform—it’s a battleground where creativity, humor, and visibility become acts of defiance.

Memes as Digital Resistance:

Memes mocking moral policing and anti-LGBT rhetoric now circulate widely, turning satire into a weapon. These viral images and videos lampoon censors and lawmakers, making protests both accessible and shareable. Each meme is a wink, a rallying cry, and a virtual slap at authority.

Reels and Filters as Critique:

Short-form videos—drag performances, lip-syncs, and skits—use trending audio and visual filters to critique hate laws and social hypocrisy. By remixing protest with pop culture, creators make activism engaging and accessible, crossing regional and linguistic borders with a swipe.

Queer-Coded Hashtags for Visibility:

Hashtags like #DragNotGag, #QueerAndHere, and #Section377Remix push back against digital censorship, helping queer voices trend even as algorithms try to suppress them. These tags connect isolated individuals, build solidarity, and ensure that queer issues remain in the public eye.

“They can silence our bodies, but not our screens.”

Even as authorities attempt to curb physical gatherings, the screen becomes a new stage—one where every post, filter, and hashtag is a pixel in the larger portrait of resistance. Digital drag is not just about performance; it’s about survival, solidarity, and the unstoppable spread of queer joy and protest.

Crackdowns and Resilience: Queer Artists Fighting Back

The year 2025 marked a troubling surge in LGBTQ+ arrests across India, with authorities increasingly wielding vague “obscenity” laws to target queer expression. In Kolkata, a high-profile incident saw drag performers detained following a protest show, sending shockwaves through the artistic community and igniting a new wave of resistance.

Kolkata Arrests: After the Protest

When police arrested drag artists after a public performance in Kolkata, the message was clear: queer visibility would be met with force. But the aftermath revealed something more powerful—resilience. Legal aid groups and queer collectives immediately mobilized, organizing support for those arrested and drawing national attention to the misuse of obscenity laws.

Solidarity Across Borders

Far from silencing dissent, the crackdown sparked a groundswell of unity. Artists from Mumbai to Guwahati launched solidarity performances, streaming drag shows, poetry readings, and dance battles online and in secret venues. Each event was both a celebration and a statement: queer art will not be erased.

Drag Resistance: Defiance on Every Stage

Despite the risks, drag performers continue to take the stage. Every show, whether in a packed club or a hidden rooftop, becomes an act of defiance. Costumes grow bolder, lyrics sharper, and choreography more unapologetic. The drag stage transforms into a frontline—where glitter, satire, and spectacle challenge the forces of repression.

2025 saw a marked increase in LGBTQ+ arrests under “obscenity” laws, but this repression only fueled organized artistic pushback. Solidarity performances and digital showcases have surged, with queer artists using every available platform to amplify their voices and demand justice.

In the face of crackdowns, India’s queer artists are not backing down. They are fighting back—with art, with unity, and with performances that turn every spotlight into a beacon of resistance.

Conclusion: Art as Survival, Performance as Resistance

For India’s queer artists, protest transcends slogans and speeches—it pulses through movement, costume, rhythm, and the audacity of self-expression. Every dance step, every painted face, every drag performance is more than art; it is an act of defiance against erasure and oppression.

In a landscape shadowed by censorship and crackdowns, performance becomes both a shield and sword. Art is not just how queer communities survive—it is how they resist, how they build solidarity, and how they make themselves visible in a world that too often tries to look away.

As the struggle for dignity and freedom continues, one truth endures: resistance is an art, and art always finds a way to survive. Where there is rhythm, there is rebellion. Where there is color, there is courage. And where there is performance, there is hope—undaunted, unyielding, and unstoppable.

Key points:

• Hijra communities have a 4,000-year history of resistance through performance and public presence despite colonial and state marginalization.
• Modern queer collectives reinterpret hijra legacies via poetry, drag theater, and protest dances, exemplified by Bangalore’s Kinnar Sabha.
• Drag collectives and poetry circles in cities like Pune and Lucknow use underground spaces and digital platforms to critique discriminatory laws and moral policing.
• Choreopolitics: Queer performers use traditional dance forms like Sufi whirling, vogue, and Kathak to resist moral policing and reclaim freedom of movement.
• Fashion and aesthetics serve as protest tools—face paint, constitutional saris, and sharp makeup symbolize queer identity and defiance, amplified by a 900% surge in queer social media activism post-2024.
• Digital drag and social media have become vital platforms for queer resistance, with memes, reels, and queer-coded hashtags countering censorship and expanding visibility.
• Police crackdowns, such as the 2025 Kolkata drug arrests, have triggered nationwide solidarity performances and increased artistic pushback under vague “obscenity” laws.
• Art and performance are central to queer survival and resistance in India, transforming protest into embodied, creative defiance that continues to thrive despite repression.

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References

• https://scroll.in/article/1050363/how-drag-performers-in-india-are-fighting-for-visibility-and-acceptance
• https://feminisminindia.com/2023/06/29/drag-culture-in-india-queer-resistance/
• https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kolkata-drag-artists-arrested-protest-solidarity-101694571234578.html
• https://www.firstpost.com/india/queer-artists-digital-protest-india-2025-12938412.html