*Executive Summary:* This report analyses the political affiliations of the Queer Community(Lesbian , Gay , Bisexual , Transgender, Intersex) in India. The Supreme Court recriminalized same sex relations on December 11 2013 by not upholding the Delhi High Court verdict of 2nd July 2009 thereby placing the onus of this decision on the Indian Parliament. The queer movement in India has been by and large apolitical. However the Supreme court decision has resulted to a political turn to the movement. The Queer movement will henceforth have to engage the political class and advocate the need for upholding the rights of the queer citizens of India. To begin this process the first step is to understand the mindset of the queer voter. This report is a preliminary effort to understand the political affiliations and the underlying reasons of the Queer Citizens of India in a multi-party democracy.
The methodology followed has been dual by way of a consultation and an internet based survey. The consultation with the queer community members yielded enough qualitative data and generated debate and discussion on the political affiliations of various queer community members in Mumbai. The internet survey on the other hand yielded quantitative data of the queer community members as well as their supporters across India. This survey was far reaching and also collected qualitative data on queer issues that need to be included on party manifestos. The Congress, AAP and the BJP were the main political parties that were discussed. The Congress showed the greatest amount of support from the Queer community followed closely by the AAP. BJP despite having taken an anti -Queer stand still has some degree of support from within the queer community. A differential analysis of the confidence levels of the BJP, AAP and Congress supporters indicates that the queer voters and their supporters are a heterogeneous group and have different political viewpoints. Queer voters and their supporters have indicated that they expect political parties to have queer rights on their party manifesto. The highest ranking demand is the decriminalization of homosexuality, followed by passing an anti-discrimination law and then marriage equality for same sex partners. While queer voters and their supporters are not very crisp in their political ideologies, the process of politicization of the queer movement has begun. It would be thus advisable for political parties to take cognizance of such reports and hear out the voice of the queer community and their supporters, as they reflect a voter base that opines differently from popular moralistic ideologies. It would be highly necessary to devise poll strategies that incorporate the needs of sexual minorities and end discrimination of any kind. *A political analysis within the queer community has never been done before. While this report is an honest and straightforward attempt to quantify political affiliation of queer individuals in India it should be noted that the qualitative portions are representative only of Mumbai. The internet survey is pan India, but responded to by a certain socio economic class that understands English and is internet savvy. Conducting an offline survey with local language options would greatly refine this study.* *http://www.scribd.com/doc/216564737/Queer-and-Political-Release-1-0 <http://www.scribd.com/doc/216564737/Queer-and-Political-Release-1-0> * *Pallav Patankar *
