Break the binary

These queer athletes are all about pushing the boundaries, fighting the fight, and carving a space that they can call their own.

- Maahi Shah

I've always believed that nothing unites a country of 1.3 billion people quite like sport. But as I sit down to write this, I'm no longer so sure.

One of the worst feelings in the world is the sense that you don't belong. Sadly, we seem to be living in a time where far too many people feel like outsiders—aloof, alone, and marginalised. This is the everyday reality for much of India's queer community. For queer athletes, the challenges are even greater: The absence of policies for transgender inclusion, a persistent heteronormative gaze both on and off the field, and the deliberate exclusion or ridicule of those who don't conform to conventional norms.

No one should have to endure this. But as someone once told me, athletes do what they do for the love of the sport and their country—and that keeps them going.

Cosmopolitan India speaks to a few of them, who shared what it truly means to be a queer athlete in India: Finding strength in the lows, holding onto hope in the highs, and navigating everything in between.

Anaya Banger

Cricketer and model | Transwoman

For cricketer and model Anaya Banger, her gender identity has shaped every part of her journey—both personally and professionally. She has always loved cricket and wanted nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of her father, Sanjay Banger. But playing on the boys' team felt like living a double life. At eight, she would pick clothes from her mother's closet, put them on, and feel more herself than ever.

"Being a trans woman has been about reclaiming my body," she says. "But it's also been about rewriting the rules. Being trans in Indian sports means you're constantly proving your legitimacy on and off the field. I wasn't just playing to win—I was playing to exist, to be seen."