Out of the Closets, Into the Streets: Merry Christmas from Delhi!

This Christmas, I am thankful for my family and friends at home and abroad who make me feel loved and supported, whether from great distances or from across the dinner table. I am so lucky to have y'all in my life.

I know that this time of year is hard on a lot of people, especially lgbt people, who are sometimes left without the option to go home or reminded of painful history as the holidays roll around. I hope for everyone who struggles this time of year that good friends and community help to heal those wounds.

That being said, there are still so many in our community who feel isolated (and how could they not, with laws criminalizing homosexuality and preachers demonizing lgbt people left and right) and we can do more than hope they have a better year next year by giving political support to those who make equality a priority and vocally opposing those who campaign on hate. We can also do the simple thing of being vocal with our love, even without a Phil Robertson to contradict. So on that note, down with 377, up with solidarity, and thank you thank you thank you to the wonderful people in my own life who make me want to be home for Christmas.

Here are some photos and snippets from the past few days in Delhi.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

So normally at Christmas we take the family photo for next year's card. Since I'm not around this year, here's a Christmas in India card, brought to you by the Christmas stalls at Malviya Nagar market and a dangerous growing shamelessness about taking pictures of myself. Christmas selfie time:

Decorations in Hauz Khas Village, first spotted while doing some work on Monday:

Inside Select City, the mall in Saket:

He was obviously telling me Merry Christmas from the balcony:

On Christmas Eve, the fabulous Jasneet and I had Vietnamese food in a hotel called the Taj (yay international Christmas) and they had some spiffy blue and white decorations up:

Select City on Christmas Day. I went to buy a jacket as it actually feels like Christmastime in Delhi (and by that I mean it is less than 60 degrees):