Can only someone who identifies as queer write a queer novel? This question came up during a recent Juhu Reads conversation with Rahul Singh, author of Unfolding. It is a familiar debate in discussions on representation and authorship, and one that feels especially relevant today. With India’s Parliament passing the Transgender Bill in March 2026 – narrowing the definition of transgender and excluding several identities – the need for broader, more inclusive conversations has become urgent. In this context, it seems important to allow non-queer writers to engage with queer lives too, because meaningful change often depends on a collective voice that extends beyond any single community. Perhaps that is the best way to bring queerness out of the political closet and make it a normal part of mainstream public and private lives.
Into other lives
Over the course of the last four years, I have had the opportunity to read several memorable books that explore queer identities, desires, relationships, and ways of seeing the world. These books have taken me into very different lives across class and circumstances and have helped me see how queer experiences unfold in ways both familiar and unfamiliar. Trailblazing queer fiction writer R Raj Rao’s collection of short fiction, Crocodile Tears, which depicts...
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