In the last three decades, improving women’s political engagement has been seen as necessary in strengthening democracy and improving the social, economic, and political lives of women. Over the 25 years, these debates have had a significant impact, with the percentage of women in parliament increasing worldwide from 14% in 2000 to 27.2% in 2025. In India, research and empirical evidence suggest that when more women are elected to positions of political power, there is a greater likelihood of policies that address the needs and concerns of women being prioritized and implemented.

The 73rd and 74th amendments to the Indian Constitution guaranteed one-third of the seats for women in municipal bodies and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs). This reservation and women’s political engagement on the local level has resulted in more investment in public goods closely linked to women’s concerns. However, the studies on descriptive representation have remained concentrated on women. The academic literature on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) representatives in the legislatures remains comparatively limited.

In India, while some LGBT members have held political positions, there has not been a single LGBT individual elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). The calls for the number of reservations for legislators in India have been limited to reservations for women, scheduled castes, and scheduled tribes, nevertheless, it is crucial to examine the sexual orientation component of descriptive representation. The study of LGBT representation is necessary as it will help develop strategies and mechanisms that facilitate the creation of inclusive legislatures in India and address LGBT issues to create inclusive policy-making and a robust democracy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to discuss LGBT representation in the Indian parliament in parallel with pushing women’s parliamentarian representation.

Descriptive Representation

I define descriptive representation as the presence of historically under-represented groups in politics, such as women and minorities. It extends to how closely a legislator or representative group resembles a certain constituent and their social or demographic characteristics.

In India, the descriptive representation of women in lower bodies of political institutions has had important effects on policy decisions: women leaders under the reservation policy have invested more in public goods closely linked to women’s concerns. Studies suggest that descriptive representation does affect policy outcomes and that this relationship evolves with respect to the number of female legislators and that the efforts to improve descriptive representation can improve overall perceptions of legitimacy and satisfaction with decision-making. Researchers suggest that countries with a higher share of women in the national parliament are more likely to enact and enforce gender-sensitive policies.

Countries with LGBT politicians and legislators have been more proactively addressing LGBT problems. However, studies on LGBT representation in the Indian parliament are non-existent with a few articles here and there. The above literature provides strong evidence for the need to push for LGBT representation in the Indian parliament in parallel to the push for women’s reservation.

Situating the LGBT community in India

The LGBT community in India faces significant discrimination, prejudice, and societal marginalization. In 2011, the Indian consensus for the first time enumerated the transgender population by categorizing them as ‘others.’ The report estimated that 4.8 million Indians identified as transgender. However, the estimates provided by transgender community members and organizations working for them are much higher. Transgender individuals underreport significantly because of fears of informing the government of their stigmatized status.

In India, the stigma and rejection that the transgender community experiences extend beyond discrimination and affect their access to banking, education, healthcare, and welfare programs. Discrimination and exclusion have led to increased poverty in the LGBT community putting them in precarious economic situations. Due to a lack of legal protection and a lack of nationwide social awareness, the LGBT community faces widespread violence and harassment.

Over the last decade, there have been some significant advances in the legal status of the LGBT community. In 2014, the Supreme Court of India gave its verdict in response to a writ petition filed by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) ensuring nominal fundamental civil rights for members of the transgender community. The verdict also included reservations for the transgender community in public institutions such as educational institutions and government jobs within a subsequent period of six months.

In 2018, the Supreme Court of India decriminalized Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) – a law that was enacted in 1861 during British administration over India that punished "unnatural offenses," such as conduct that goes against "the order of nature” with life imprisonment. The Indian Constitution's articles 14 and 15 provide the right to equality and equal protection against discrimination based on religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.

Despite these judgments and advances, the situation of the LGBT community in India remains dire. This is because while these judgments have been passed de jure, the policy implementation has not manifested de facto on the grounds. The lack of implementation could be attributed to the lack of LGBT representation in the legislature.

Why do we need LGBT representation in India?

1. Lack of visibility:

Unlike women, the most important concern of the LGBT community is their visibility. Their historical marginalization has compelled them to conceal their identities. Their lack of presence as a credible, noticeable, and mainstream interest group has fuelled prejudice based on the mistrust brought on by unfamiliarity. In India, the transgender community still remains largely invisible. This invisibility is perpetuated by census data. In India, official data is collected using a binary male-female system. The national data sources on health, education, and employment do not include a category for the transgender population rendering them invisible.

The theory of visible representation explains how political messaging that emphasizes a group's presence in government, even in a small number, conveys that the government has prioritized the welfare of the group — even in the absence of representational gains. The simple fact that there are women in government means that they portray a diverse and inclusive view of who is eligible to lead. Similarly, for LGBT representatives, the visibility of out-gay elected officials will project confidence among the community leading to more visibility.

2. Political parties and LGBT electoral candidates:

Across the world, more LGBT candidates are running for elections but their victory has been hindered by homophobia and invisibility. In India, there have been some notable LGBT politicians who have held positions in various political institutions, including legislative bodies and political parties but while these candidates have contributed to increasing the visibility and representation of the LGBT community in Indian political institutions, the number of openly LGBT representatives remains limited. There has not been a single LGBT individual elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) in India. Most of the transgender people who fought Lok Sabha elections have nominated themselves as independent candidates as political parties have been afraid of giving them tickets due to a lack of voters’ support.

The concern remains that even if the parties do select transgender candidates, sociocultural variables such as acceptance of homosexuality and religious inclinations in a country can be a barrier to holding office for transgender MPs. In India, homophobia and hostility to gay equality appear to preclude mainstream parties from naming transgender candidates for elections.

This makes it important to understand that the electoral system of India does not ensure LGBT participation in elections because of party politics, homophobia, and the current right-wing government. Under such circumstances, a reserved seat will bypass the election system to create a descriptive representation of the LGBT community. An LGBT representative will ensure the political participation of LGBT and recognize the civil and political rights of the transgender community.

3. Concentrated voter base

It is argued that descriptive representation generally gives a place for elite women as most women in the positions in parliament are hailing from a direct political lineage or with relatives already in politics. The question of whether the presence of women MPs did or did not result in policy outcomes is secondary. The primary concern that this representation has addressed is that more women are coming out to vote in India. Thus, it can be inferred that with an LGBT legislative, more LGBT people will come in support to elect their representative. With advances in LGBT recognition in India, the voter base might increase but it will be decades until all LGBT voters register themselves and create a concentrated voters base for LGBT candidates to fight as independent candidates and expect their support.

However, the descriptive representation of an LGBT MP will boost visibility and encourage more people to register themselves outside of the binary category. The existing literature on the constituent-legislation relationship shows how representatives can boost voters’ confidence in the decision-making outcomes and participation through increased responsiveness. Therefore, LGBT representation in the parliament will potentially boost this confidence among the marginalized community.

The potential impact of LGBT Representation in India

• LGBT individuals in India face significant discrimination, prejudice, and societal marginalization. Representation in Parliament can give a voice to the LGBT community and help address the issues they face, including legal rights, protection against discrimination, access to healthcare, and social acceptance.

• As Joshi and Echle (2022) note, countries with women MPs have been more likely to implement gender-sensitive laws, it can be inferred that LGBT representation in Parliament can contribute to the development and amendment of laws and policies that directly affect the LGBT community. The descriptive representation of LGBT can ensure that their perspectives and experiences are taken into account leading to more inclusive and fair legislation.

• Despite being in small numbers, women MPs have stepped forward as ‘critical actors’ to represent women. Having even a small number of LGBT representatives in Parliament can challenge stereotypes, promote visibility, and contribute to public discourse on LGBT rights and issues. It can help create a more inclusive and accepting society by providing positive role models for LGBT individuals and educating the public about their lives, struggles, and aspirations.

• Representation in Parliament can play a vital role in challenging and dismantling the stigma and prejudices that exist against the LGBT community. When LGBT individuals hold positions of power and influence, it sends a powerful message that diversity and inclusion are valued in society. It can ensure that policies and legislation are intersectional, taking into account the overlapping identities and challenges faced by individuals who belong to multiple marginalized communities.

Although women have been the primary focus of the research of descriptive representation as a unit of analysis, the sexual orientation of descriptive representation must also be taken into consideration. Even a small number of reserved seats for LGBT MPs promotes the adoption of gay-friendly legislation. The mere existence of LGBT MPs in the open help in removing the stigma and stereotypes associated with the community. In all specifications, the presence of LGBT MPs is correlated with significant improvement in gay rights including marriage equality or civil partnership laws. It is worth noting that LGBT representation alone is not a panacea and a collective effort is needed to bring about lasting change.

Read the extended piece here.

About the Author

Jigyasa is a development professional with experience in policy advocacy, media advocacy, and external engagement. She has previously worked as a journalist covering misinformation, anti-CAA demonstrations, Indian general elections and climate protests. Currently she is based at the Institute of Development Studies where she works as an External Affairs Officer helping with research outreach and policy lobbying. She is a strong ally amplifying the voices of prioritised communities. Her interest lies in gender advocacy, democratic governance, decolonisation, critical theory and political philosophy. To get in touch, please write at j.agarwal1@ids.ac.uk

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