Being diverse is to be (politically) free

Independent India's first law minister B R Ambedkar often argued that the core purpose of the Constitution was promoting social inclusion. Although he focused on caste hierarchy and didn't address challenges faced by sexual minorities, his words and the Constitution have helped many fight their social, economic and political exclusion. The pace of social change has been glacial since then, but also promising, at times. If the decriminalisation of Section 377 was one such moment, the recent appointment of Anish Gawande, an LGBTQ+ rights activist and first openly gay person to join the Indian political landscape, as NCP(SP)'s national spokesperson is another example of India becoming freer in accepting and normalising sexual diversity. The NCP(SP) leadership must be congratulated for this appointment.

Gawande, who founded Pink List India, a database of politicians supportive of LGBTQ+ rights, has his work cut out. He'll be representing the party in the media at the national level, but also sharing the leadership's views on manifestos and election strategies. With Maharashtra going to the polls later this year, it'll be a busy first season for him. NCP(SP)'s decision will hopefully, as Gawande says, have a cascading effect, giving 'queer kids who feel they need to be in the closet the chance to come out and dream big'. This is no token appointment.

Democracy is a fragile construct, often a messy affair. To make it work - and sustain it - all hands must be on deck. This means active representation of all citizens in democratic institutions and processes. The quality of democratic practices - fair elections, protection of civil liberties, rule of law and affirmative actions like Gawande's appointment - matters more.