User:Abhilaashha365/sandbox

Supporters of ‘Bombay Dost’
In the early 90’s, when this magazine was published-the magazine was not supported by many Indians. Even distributing them had become a task because how could a lay reader discretely access such a taboo publication was the question. It was not supported even by vendors; they stocked the magazine and put it behind other titles. The magazine and the concept of gay and lesbians was considered such a big taboo that sellers sold the magazine in brown envelops and the buyers would run away as soon as they bought it so no one could see that an LGBT(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) magazine was bought. 'Bombay Dost' magazine shut down in 2002 due to logistical difficulties. In 1995 Akshay Kumar stated in an interview his support for the magazine and homosexuality. In 1996, Bhupen Khakhar, a pioneer of queer art In India showed his support by creating a painting for the magazine’s cover; his visionary works embodied a very public engagement with his own sexuality right from the 70s. In 2010, the magazine started featuring identifiable queer people using their own names. The issue included interviews of novelist Ghalib Shiraz Dhalla, artist Syed Ali Arif and musician Gwyneth Mawlong, as well as writer Gazal Dhaliwal’s poignant account of interacting with her ‘new self’ during her transition as a woman. From 2015 onwards, celebrities such as Imran Khan, Vikas Khanna and Kalki Koechli n were seen on the magazines covers and hence, the support is only increasing and a 25th anniversary issue is now on the anvil.