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Hello dear readers!

Hello there, and welcome to the first LGBTQ+ series from The Bombay Review. Vol I of a planned bi – annual series has now released!

The issue will be released in two sets, and you can watch this space for the next selection, out by October end.

Yours sincerely,
Team TBR

ISSUE 35 – LGBTQ+ Vol I (October, 2020)

Poetry | ‘Three Words’ & ‘As the taxi takes me home’ by Despy Boutris | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Despy Boutris teaches at the University of Houston, works as Assistant Poetry Editor for Gulf Coast, and serves as Editor-in-Chief of The West Review. Her work has been published in American Poetry Review, American Literary Review, Copper Nickel, The Journal, Colorado Review, Prairie Schooner, and elsewhere.

Poetry | ‘A lot about Sunflowers’ & 1 more poem by Jigisha Bhattacharya | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Jigisha teaches literature at the OP Jindal Global University. She has studied at Presidency University, JNU, and done research work in Tübingen and Berlin, Germany. Her work has appeared in The Indian Express, FirstPost, The National Herald, Critical Collective, among others.

‘An Indian gothic drag art performance’ – A photo essay feat. Patruni Chinanda Sastry | by Saumya Kalia | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Where patriarchy ends, expression begins: An Indian gothic drag art performance The lore of vishkanya is intoxicating in its effect on the Indian cultural discourse. The “poisonous maiden”, enrobed in myth and legend, carries an ominous mark. It is a secret that hangs heavy in the air; neither fully embraced, nor completely eschewed. It passes…

Poetry | ‘Cairn’ & ‘Wait’ by Robert Beveridge | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Robert Beveridge identifies as QUILTBAG (bi/pan), neurodivergent (anxiety requiring multiple hospitalizations/GAD/SAD/depression/suspected by a number of mental health professionals of being on the autism spectrum but not tested), and now officially listed as disabled by the U.S. government as of Mar, 2020!

Fiction | ‘The Mountain’ by John Mueter | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

John Mueter is a pianist, composer, educator, translator, and writer residing in Kansas City, Missouri. His work has appeared in American Athenaeum, Lowestoft Chronicle, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Simone Press Publishing, TBLM, Haiku Journal, among others.

Essay | To perform is to be: Drag culture, Indian art, and activism – Saumya Kalia | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

To be a drag artist is a curious thing. You can be anyone, everything, the sum of your desires, all at once. But what becomes of this curiosity in a cultural discourse that doesn’t let the mind wander? A discourse that thrives on stereotyping, refuses to recalibrate, and reduces everything to a label?  If the…

Poetry | ‘Your Father’s Carpet’ by Holdyn Bray | LGBTQ+(Vol I) – Issue 35

Holdyn Bray is a poet and makeup artist from Sacramento, California, who currently resides in Los Angeles. She received a bachelor’s degree in Women and Gender Studies from UCLA this year.

Poetry | 3 Poems by Subhaga Crystal Bacon | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Shaki Peters, 32, Amite City, July 1 She was full of laughter and an abundance of life. Shaki, there’s a plant that grows here, where I live,  called Shadbush—it’s also known as Service Berry— but it’s the genus I thought of yesterday, seeking shade  on the hillside, carrying you with me in the heat of…

Fiction | ‘Another Funeral’ by Jonathan Ochoco | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Jonathan Ochoco, a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA School of Law; was born in the Philippines, grew up in Houston, Texas and now lives in San Francisco with his husband and two dogs.

Essay | ‘Rhapsody on the F.M.’ by Tristan Marajh | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Tristan is a Winner in the William Faulkner Literary Competition, 2020 and his most recent work appears in ‘down river road’ (Kenya) and ‘Ayaskala’ (India). With a childhood spent in the Caribbean islands of Trinidad & Tobago, he resides in Toronto, Canada.

Fiction | ‘Journey’ by Madhavi Johnson | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Madhavi’ lives in Ballarat, Australia and has had a career in international development with UNICEF in India, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, Kenya, Namibia, and the USA (New York).

Fiction | ‘Mirror, Mirror’ by Sarah Jane Justice | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Sarah’s work has appeared in The Blue Nib, Capsule Stories, Black Hare Press, Caustic Frolic, among others. She is also a celebrated spoken word artist, and has performed at the Sydney Opera House.

Fiction | ‘The Girl Who’s Scared of Water’ by Amelia Brown | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Amelia is a queer writer and a member of Roundhouse Poetry Collective with whom she has performed her poetry at Hay Festival, Last Word Festival, Brainchild Festival and UniSlam. Her first novel (Work in progress) was shortlisted for Penguin’s WriteNow mentorship programme, and longlisted for Mslexia’s Novel Award.

Poetry | ”Of Lipstick and Labels’ & 1 more poem by Anureet Watta | LGBTQ+ (Vol 1) – Issue 35

Anureet Watta is a 19 year old poet from Delhi. She writes of queerness, girlhood and the overwhelming anguish of being alive. Performing across open mics in Delhi, she believes spoken word poetry is the perfect amalgamation of poetry and theatre.

Poetry | ‘Honeymoon’ & 1 more poem by Kenneth Pobo | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Kenneth Pobo has a new book forthcoming from Assure Press called Uneven Steven. His work has appeared in: Amsterdam Review, The Fiddlehead, Paris Lit Up, Hawaii Review, and elsewhere.

Memoir Excerpt | By Geri Gale | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Geri Gale, a Jewish-American married to a Japanese-American and lives in Seattle and is writing a memoir. Her books include: Patrice: a poemella, Alex: The Double-Rescue Dog, and Waiting: prosepoems. Her work has appeared in ang(st): the feminist body zine, Sinister Wisdom, Poetry Pacific, South Loop Review:, Bayou Magazine, Under the Sun, and other publications.

Poetry | ‘Meet me on the Roof’ & 1 more poem by Agam Balooni | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Agam is published in HarperCollins’s 2020 The World That Belongs to Us: An Anthology of Queer Poetry from South Asia. He was nominated for a TFA Award in 2018. He grew up in Dehradun.

Poetry | Summer of ‘09′ & ‘Our Forgotten House’ by Shailee | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Shailee, 22, is an English literature student from Delhi University, India. She is interested in pursuing academic research in the field of gender and sexuality through the lens of Queer theory and Post-colonialism.

Poetry | ‘Daybreak’ and ‘Clues’ by Sumedh Jog | LGBTQ+ (Vol I) – Issue 35

Sumedh was born in Mumbai and lives there, working in the financial services sector. A serious birdwatcher, he has started writing, and learning Hindustani vocal music recently.