Indian non-binary activist stars on the cover of bridal magazine

A bridal magazine in India has divided readers after making the bold decision to put a non-binary model wearing a dress on their April cover. 

Brides Today, which is an English-speaking magazine, shared three digital covers featuring non-binary trans activist and comedian Alok Vaid-Menon posing in different gowns on Instagram.  

The publication, which belongs to the India Today news group, shared on their social media that they released the cover ‘in support of the right to love and dignity for all.’

Meanwhile, Alok promoted the cover on their own Instagram account with quotes from their interview with the magazine.

It comes as India’s supreme court prepares to rule on marriage equality for the Indian LGBTQ+ community.

While many readers were supportive of Alok’s covers, others accused them of invading women’s spaces and called Brides Today ‘ridiculous.’ 

One of the three covers shows Alok  wearing a golden dress with a plunging neckline showing off their hairy chest. 

The bearded activist is wearing a bold red lip and eyeliner along with sumptuous bridal jewellery on both their forearms and down their chest. 

In the second cover, the comedian poses in a draped mint green sari showing their midriff and a gold hair piece beading with multicoloured jewels and a row of statement rings. 

The third cover shows them rocking a two-piece half lehenga in electric blue and gold, a choker and a floral hair piece. 

In their cover interview, the activist, who admitted they were bullied for their identity, said they were hoping for more inclusive spaces in India. 

‘I wish I could be able to walk down the street—and exist in public—without fear of being attacked. 

‘I wish I could post an image of myself online without being inundated with hate mail,’ they said. 

Alok added they believe everyone is worthy of love and that relationships shouldn’t be hierachised based on sexual orientation or gender identity.  

‘This case is crucial,’ the activist said of the Indian Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality. 

Another cover shows Alok wearing a blue and gold half lehenga with a choker and a long floral hair piece 

The activist also donned a mint green  sari and jewellery on a third digital cover shared by Brides Today 

‘Denying legal recognition of same-sex marriage is a form of institutionalised discrimination that must be addressed,’ they added. 

The covers were met with mixed reactions online, with many of Alok and Brides Today’s followers saluting the publication’s decision to star a non-binary personality on their cover. 

‘You have such an elegant way of seeing things,’ one person told Alok in the comments.

‘It makes me hopeful and free.’ 

‘Beautiful all the way. You. Your beliefs. Your strength. Love to you,’ another said. 

‘Truly, if people were secure in themselves they wouldn’t give a s*** how other people exist. Love you, gorgeous photos,’ another said. 

Many readers were supportive of the covers shared online and of Alok’s non-binary gender identity

‘I love Alok so freaking much. They came to speak at my school and their stories and poems were so inspiring. 

‘I just wish that people would stop hating and start educating themselves,’ another said. 

‘Queerness is so beautiful if you let it be, and it’s disheartening to see so many people shoot non-binary and genderqueer people down. So much hate from people who claim to love,’ they added. 

However, some people felt differently about the cover and said they were ‘horrified,’ by Alok’s non-binary identity. 

Others felt that Alok’s starring on the cover was ‘erasing’ what they called ‘real women’ and ‘horrifying’ 

‘Nope. I’ll pas on Brides of Today. Ridiculous,’ one said. 

‘This man is disturbing, more in the inside than the outside. If that’s possible,’ another said. 

‘Stop erasing real women,’ one disgruntled reader said. 

‘This kind of articles is horrifying… Complete nonsense,’ one said.  

The cover comes as India is awaiting to hear whether its Supreme Court will legalise sex-same marriage this year. 

India scrapped a colonial-era ban on gay sex in 2018 in a landmark judgement that activists hoped at the time would uphold right to equality. 

Gay sex had previously been punishable by up to 10 years in jail. 

Now India awaits to hear whether same-sex marriage will also become legal around the country. 

The Indian’s supreme court heard arguments in favour of the same-sex marriage ruling on April 18 and is yet to give their decision on what would be another landmark ruling for the Indian LGBTQ+ community.