Editorial Policy

Last updated: 29 October 2026

This policy explains how Queer Ink decides what to publish, what to hold in the Queer India Archives and what to feature in the Digital Library, and the standards we hold ourselves to.

1. Who decides

Editorial decisions at Queer Ink, about what to publish, what to accept into the Archives, what to feature in the Library and what to write about on our blog, begin with discussion. We consult community members and experts in India and around the world, and the process is led by Shobhna S Kumar, founder and editorial director, who makes the final decision.

Specialist collaborators, such as editors, archivists, designers and translators, are brought in for specific work, and their input shapes the outcome.

2. What we publish

Queer Ink publishes books drawn from the Queer India Archives: anthologies, edited collections, oral histories shaped into books, recovered manuscripts and other works of cultural significance from contributors whose material we hold. Our criteria:

• the work adds something to the record of queer Indian life that is not already there;
• it is carefully made: well edited, well designed and well produced;
• it is developed in genuine collaboration with the people whose lives or material it draws on, with their consent and participation; and
• it is sustainable for us to publish at the scale and pace we work.

Swabhimaan, our pathway for independent creators, supports new work by queer Indian writers on different terms, described on our Publishing page.

3. What we archive

The Queer India Archives accept material that documents queer Indian lives, movements and culture, and that has historical, cultural or community value. It is held on terms set by the contributor, as explained in our Contributor Terms. We do not accept material obtained without consent, material that compromises the privacy of identifiable people without their agreement, or material whose origins cannot be confirmed.

4. What we feature in the Library

The Digital Library makes queer Indian literature, history and media easier to find. We feature material that:

• is by, about or relevant to queer Indian lives;
• is available with appropriate rights: open access, public domain or with the rightsholder’s permission; and
• meets reasonable standards of quality, factual accuracy and ethical handling of the people it portrays.

We do not feature work that promotes hatred, violence or harm against queer people or any other community. See our Library Submission Terms.

5. Independence

Queer Ink is editorially independent. Our decisions are not influenced by:

• supporters, donors or funders, whose help we gratefully acknowledge but who do not buy editorial influence;
• sponsors, advertisers or affiliate partners;
• political parties, governments or political organisations;
• religious organisations; or
• anyone seeking favourable coverage, the suppression of coverage or particular placement of content.

Affiliate links and advertising. Some links to books are affiliate links, for example through the Amazon Associates programme: if you buy through them, Queer Ink may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We may also carry advertising on this website or our social media. Affiliate links and advertising help fund our work, but they never decide what we publish, archive or recommend. We label advertising clearly, and we say when a page contains affiliate links.

Where a possible conflict of interest exists, for example a personal relationship with a writer being considered for publication, we disclose it openly in the work itself.

6. Accuracy and corrections

We aim for accuracy in everything we publish. When we find or are told about an error, we correct it promptly:

• On the website and in the Library: corrected directly, with a note of what changed and when for significant corrections.
• In published books: corrected in the next reprint, with a separate correction notice for significant errors.
• In archival material: the original is preserved as it is, because the historical record is not altered, but we add notes where needed to give context or correct misunderstandings.

To report an error, write to us with the subject line “CORRECTION” and where the error appears.

7. Our voice

Queer Ink writes from a clear perspective: we are an independent queer Indian publisher and archive, working in support of queer Indian lives. We do not claim to be neutral on queer dignity, rights or existence. We do aim to be accurate, fair and careful in how we represent communities, individuals and contested questions.

8. Sources and credit

We credit our sources clearly, including the Archives’ own collections and the work of others we draw on. We never present someone else’s work as our own. Where a contributor has asked to remain anonymous, we respect that, and we name sources only with their consent.

9. Right of reply

If you are mentioned in something on the Queer Ink website and believe you have been represented inaccurately or unfairly, you may ask for a right of reply. Tell us your specific concern. Where it is well founded, we will work in good faith to correct, clarify or update.

10. Removal requests

If you contributed to, appear in or are connected with material in the Archives or the Library and would like it removed or restricted, write to us. Contributors can always withdraw their own material under our Contributor Terms. For other requests, we weigh the request carefully against the material’s historical and cultural value, and we engage genuinely with every one.