8 LGBTQIA+ Safe Spaces In Kolkata To Know And Support

The Pink Parties Kolkata was formed as a result of the impromptu quest for a place to meet where members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community in Calcutta could come together and celebrate. Pink Party is an area of life where members of the community and others are able to gather, chat, and socialise, allowing like-minded people to gather and interact. The group has expanded into more events like Pink Coffee, which is a Wednesday gathering for members, and Pink Movies, which is a movie club. The Stadel hotel hosts Pink Parties once a month in the summer and twice a month in the winter. Pink Parties does not operate as an NGO. There are guidelines for being part of their Facebook's communal spaces as well as chat rooms.

Instagram: @pinkpartykolkata

Facebook: PINK PARTY KOLKATA, LGBT AND FRIENDS SOCIAL EVENTS IN KOLKATA

With its main office in Kolkata, Sappho for Equality is committed to strengthening equality and lesbian rights in India. In addition to helping lesbian and bisexual women with counselling, legal assistance, and support, the organisation also campaigns against prejudice and gender-based violence. Through community development, research, and activism, Sappho for Equality works to solve the particular difficulties queer women confront. The three pillars of Sappho for Equality's strategy are community empowerment, addressing civil society in general, networking with other organisations, and lobbying and campaigning with the governing body.

They also run a cafe, called Porshi. Queer books and notebooks, as well as frames from several Pride walks, embellish the space. In the background is a huge Pride flag. Alongside books on the history of the LGBTQIA+ movement, there is also a queer library that highlights the significance of continuing the daily fight for equality. Porshi also provides a platform for queer trans artists to express themselves creatively and offers events such as film screenings and workshop sessions.

Timing: Porshi; 1 PM - 9 PM. Closed on Mondays

Price: INR 200 - INR 600

Google Rating: 4.9/5

Instagram: @sappho.for.equality, @_porshi_sfe_

Facebook: Sappho For Equality

LGBTQIA+ patients are frequently subjected to discrimination in Indian hospitals. Saathii is putting a lot of effort into changing things. In order to achieve a common goal of universal access to social, economic, and health protection, the work centres on elevating community voices and efforts. In May 2002, the Kolkata office was established. It functions as the regional office for Eastern India. Information sharing, research, networking, advocacy, and training on interrelated gender, sexuality, human rights, sexual and reproductive health, and HIV/AIDS prevention, care, support, and treatment are the main programs in the Kolkata Office. A reference library featuring resources on HIV/AIDS, gender, sexuality, human rights, and sexual health is housed and managed in the Kolkata office.

Contact: 033 2416 4836

Facebook: Solidarity and Action Against The HIV Infection in India (SAATHII) 

Instagram: @saathii_official

Where hope frequently lurks behind tall barriers and deafening stillness, People Like Us is a community created out of love and purpose. This is more than just an organisation. For people who have been holding their breath too long, it's a safe space. Queer and transgender people find more than a place to stay here; they find a fresh start. This is where forgotten stories are brought back to life, reinterpreted, and celebrated—from houses like Prothoma to initiatives that provide opportunities for education, employment, and just living with pride.

The late Agniva Lahiri launched PLUS Kolkata, which became a legally recognised non-profit organisation in 2003. Along with initiatives in areas like human trafficking, PLUS Kolkata also emphasises HIV/AIDS prevention, counselling, and rehabilitation. Prothoma is a transgender shelter and crisis intervention clinic located in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Kolkata. It concentrates on HIV/AIDS mitigation, counselling, and rehabilitation, as well as initiatives in areas such as human trafficking.

Queer individuals in Kolkata are the leaders of the community organisation Kolkata Anandam for Equality and Justice (KAEJ). They advocate for marginalised groups, such as transgender, hijra, Kothi, and queer people, many of whom are impoverished or turn to sex work as a means of subsistence due to prejudice. They have an LGBTKHIA Parliament, conducting outreach in rural regions and using awareness campaigns and training to teach people how to be more considerate and kind.

They also construct safe spaces — some temporary, others permanent — in which LGBT people can feel comfortable and at ease. Students can join them to learn more about state violence against LGBTQIA+ individuals, how the community fights back against hate, and queer rights in India. You can assist with their current work or start your own research project.

Timing: 12 PM - 8 PM. Closed on Sundays and Mondays.

Contact: 094335 74888, +91 94335 74888 or email kolkataanandam@gmail.com

Facebook: Kolkata Anandam for Equality and Justice 

Instagram: @kolkataanandam

Founded by and for transmasculine people (those assigned female at birth who live as men or in a masculine identity), this tiny, community-led organisation is situated in West Bengal. They provide a secure environment for transmasculine people to interact, exchange stories, and offer support to one another. The group advocates for improved treatment and acceptance of transmasculine individuals in West Bengal by bringing attention to their rights and struggles. They take part in creative projects like public art, such as murals that honour trans men, to make transmasculine identities more apparent in the city.

Beyond Kolkata, their creator, Kaunish Dey Sarkar, has worked on outreach initiatives, such as immunisation and health campaigns in smaller towns. They are a family of trans men who support one another and use activism and art to demonstrate to the city that trans people are real, accepted, and deserving of respect.

Contact: 097347 30418 or email bengaltransmen@gmail.com

Facebook: Bengal Transmen Collective

Instagram: @bengal_transmencollective

In Eastern India, Shree Ghatak became the first transgender person to be legally married. On her wedding day, she launched the Troyee Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that recognised the need for financial empowerment for the transgender community. Through her NGO, transgender people have been able to develop their abilities. In order to empower these individuals economically, the foundation has organised a number of workshops, including jewellery-making, baking, chocolate-making, jute bag-making, makeup painting, and candle-making. These sessions are free, and anyone from marginalised groups who is not part of the LGBT community is welcome to participate.

Facebook: Troyee Foundation

Instagram: @shreeghatak

Contact: info.troyeefoundation@gmail.com

Tavern on Park Street, behind Trincas, has a special event every Thursday night. Queer people and their friends get together for delicious 2-for-1 cocktails, hot shepherd's pie, crunchy chanachur, and lively karaoke. It's a small haven in the centre of bustling, traditional Kolkata that is joyful, boisterous, and full of love. To give the LGBT community and its allies a safe place to party, Kolkata Pride began holding Karaoke Nights here in June of last year. With special live bands, The Tavern marked a year of wholesome karaoke! As usual, the celebration begins at 8 PM, and Kolkata Pride invites everyone to dress to the nines to create a memorable evening!

Where: Tavern Behind Trincas, Trincas

When: Every Thursday, 8 PM onwards

Google Rating: 4/5

Price: INR 1,100 for two

Instagram: @tavernbehindtrincas

Contact: +918240259201