Asia
Cloud-based platform seeks to improve health care for LGBTQ, intersex Indians
Borderless LGBT currently operates in Bengaluru

The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc and forced India into a strict lockdown.
The Indian government, through the Union Health Ministry, says upwards of 530,677 people died from COVID-19, and the country administered 2,200,212,178 doses of vaccines. The pandemic, however, exposed the truth about discrimination based on gender identity in the country’s healthcare system.
India’s transgender community, in particular, had a difficult time accessing the vaccine.
The country’s LGBTQ and intersex community often faces discrimination and stigma in both traditional private and government-run healthcare facilities. To tackle this, Borderless LGBT, the world’s first cloud-based health and wellness medical service that specifically focuses on LGBTQ and intersex healthcare, has launched a cloud clinic in India.
The cloud-based platform allows global experts to collaborate with local doctors who are interested in LGBTQ and intersex medicine to provide care to LGBTQ and intersex patients either in the clinic or at home via immersive telemedicine.
Borderless Health Care Group, Borderless LGBT’s parent company, provides a wide range of healthcare and wellness solutions to patients globally that includes general health, women’s health, men’s health, chronic disease management and pet care. But the idea behind Borderless LGBT came from the sense that the LGBTQ and intersex community is the most underserved, and there was a need for a platform that provides healthcare and wellness services to the community without any judgment.
“The goal is to democratize LGBT healthcare knowledge and services via the implementation of (an) LGBT clinic-of-the-future and technology-enabled LGBT home health,” Lani Santiago, vice president of the Borderless Healthcare Group’s Chairman’s Office, told the Washington Blade. “We have doctors from the U.S., Europe, Australia, (Southeast) Asia, India, etc.”
COVID-19 ā and associated lockdowns, loss of employment and loved ones, the sudden overflow of patients and isolation from friends and family ā affected mental health in India. This trend, however, is not new for the LGBTQ and intersex community.
Community members in a largely conservative Indian society have faced mental health issues all their lives, and researchers around the world have said the LGBTQ and intersex people face more mental health issues than heterosexuals. The stigma and prejudice in society have a different impact on the community.
Borderless LGBT in India, among other things, is providing mental health services for the LGBTQ and intersex community. The cloud-based platform is also providing health services for HIV, STD, sexual wellness, chronic disease management and family planning for the LGBTQ and intersex community in India.Ā
Borderless LGBT is currently providing health care services in Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka state in southern India. But in an interview with the Blade, Santiago said that the company has planned to roll out the services in other key cities in the country.
Santiago said that the traditional medical services that general hospitals offer do not cater to the specific needs of the LGBTQ and intersex community. In addition, the inefficiency and inherent conflict of interest in the traditional medical fraternity will take a long time to serve them.
“Borderless LGBT aims to create a new online-to-offline delivery channel to provide LGBT community unparalleled access to the best-of-class LGBT health and wellness knowledge and services where local doctors interested in LGBT healthcare can have instant access to global experts to support the management of their LGBT patients,” said Santiago. “The traditional provision of services is usually dependent on the knowledge and experience of the local doctor which in India, LGBT healthcare is still at its infancy.”
A 2021 report from National AIDS Control Organization, a division of India’s Health and Family Welfare Ministry, notes 2.4 million people are living with HIV in the country.
Stigma, societal pressure, and shame have pushed gay men underground, and not many of them seek help regarding HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. Borderless LGBT and other innovative healthcare solutions can provide an opportunity for patients from the community to seek medical attention without facing discrimination, shame, or stigma with their privacy intact.
“Borderless LGBT is positioned to support the local doctors with the latest knowledge in LGBT healthcare via a new online-to-offline global ‘co-care’ model with global experts,” said Santiago. “Thus, bringing the best of proximal local care and the best of global matured LGBT healthcare knowledge to the LGBT community.”
Vinay Chandran, executive director of Swabhava, an NGO in India that supports the LGBTQ and intersex community with health and advocacy, told the Blade that a generation of LGBTQ and intersex people who have not benefitted from public health services might hopefully benefit from these cloud-based efforts.
One concern that Chandran has is how people outside of urban areas will access these services. Chandran, however, believes time will tell whether Borderless LGBT’s efforts to ensure adequate health care outreach will prove successful.
“LGBT+ people have had personal and historical encounters with healthcare that range from the ignorant to the violent,” he said. “It is to the credit of a huge number of activists and legal challenges that the National Medical Commission of India have required a rewriting of curriculum and contemplate disciplinary action for those practising conversion therapy. However, implementation fo such measures will take time. Meanwhile, if the working LGBT+ population can have access to such clinics, I’m sure it will benefit quite a few of them.”
Amrita Sarkar of Alliance India, another NGO that works to bolster care for Indians with HIV, echoed Chandran’s concerns about lack of access to cloud-based health care outside of urban areas. Sarkar during an interview with the Blade encouraged Borderless LGBT to work with local LGBTQ and intersex organizations to raise awareness of these platforms.
Ankush Kumar is a freelance reporter who has covered many stories for Washington and Los Angeles Blades from Iran, India and Singapore. He recently reported for the Daily Beast. He can be reached at [email protected]. He is on Twitter at @mohitkopinion.

The government of Tamil Nadu in southern India has proposed a policy that is designed to improve the lives of LGBTQ and intersex people in the state.
The Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission introduced the “Draft Policy for the Welfare of LGBTQIA+ Persons” in July 2023. Key provisions include a 1 percent quota for transgender and intersex people in education and employment. Progress to implement the policy has been hindered because of the governmentās fragmented approach of developing separate policies for different groups within the community.
The Madras High Court in January 2024 acknowledged Tamil Naduās proposed policy and commended the stateās efforts.
The court highlighted key recommendations, such as establishing a State Commission for Sexual and Gender Minorities and introducing quotas, while stressing the need to combat discrimination and violence. The court this month, however, raised concerns about the governmentās separate policies for trans people and the broader LGBTQ community.
Justice N. Anand Venkatesh stressed the need for a single, unified policy to effectively address the challenges the LGBTQ community faces. He directed the Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department to submit a separate proposal for trans people and a consolidated LGBTQ one by Feb. 17 that would allow stakeholder input and improvements.
The Madras High Court has been actively guiding the Tamil Nadu government towards formulating a unified and comprehensive policy for the LGBTQ community, rather than separate policies for different groups within the community.
Tamil Nadu’s proposal offers several advantages aimed at promoting inclusivity and equality. It would provide healthcare inclusion, recommending the extension of the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme to cover trans-specific medical procedures, such as gender-affirming surgeries, to ensure essential healthcare is accessible. The proposal calls for nondiscrimination policies in all government departments and public authorities that seek to protect LGBTQ people from bias and violence.
The proposal calls for educational institutions to adopt policies that raise awareness and address issues of violence, abuse, and discrimination against students with diverse gender identities and sexual orientations. It also suggests the creation of bodies like the Tamil Nadu Council for LGBTQ Persons and District Level LGBTQ Welfare and Justice Committees to coordinate efforts across government departments.
āTamil Nadu is the first state in India to develop a unified policy covering sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics, based on a recent Madras High Court directive,ā said L. Ramakrishnan from SAATHII, an organization that works to create an inclusive healthcare system, and a member of the policy drafting committee. āThis is important because critical sensitization interventions for inclusive education, healthcare and employment require understanding of sexual, sexuality, and gender diversity,āĀ
āAt the same time, recognizing the added vulnerabilities of trans and intersex individuals, provisions such as horizontal reservations and free land allocation are proposed only for transgender and intersex individuals,ā added Ramakrishnan.
The proposal, among other things, calls for gender-neutral bathrooms and hostels. It also seeks to protect LGBTQ people from family violence and from corrective rape and so-called conversion therapy that medical providers and faith healers carry out.
The proposed policy would also acknowledge and support relationships outside the traditional marriage framework. It proposes a Deed of Familial Association that would legally recognize queer relationships as the Madras High Court ruled in a case of a lesbian couple who sought protection from harassment. While the deed would offer protection from family and societal harassment, it would not extend legal status or rights associated with marriage or civil unions.
The Indian Supreme Court on Oct. 17, 2023, ruled against marriage rights for same-sex couples.
āWe have long been working and sensitizing the government for a policy,ā said Kalki Subramaniam, a trans activist and artist who founded the Sahodari Foundation, an organization that supports trans people in India. āIt seems to be happening. We, the trans community, demand a separate policy for us because we are the most marginalized and poorest community in the entire LGBTQI spectrum.ā
āI insist on two different policies: One for us, trans and intersex persons, and the other for the LGB community. Practically, it is very much possible,ā added Subramaniam. āThe state government, months ago, held public meetings with the trans community in all districts, and the communityās overall demand is a separate policy. I welcome the commission and insist it should have representatives from trans women, trans men, and intersex communities.ā
She told the Washington Blade the proposed policy is something for which the community has been waiting for years, and is happy to see it on the table. Subramaniam noted the quota, in particular, will ensure equal opportunities in jobs and education.
āTamil Nadu governmentās laudable efforts in building equity for the LGBTQIA+ community stands as a magnificent beacon of hope,ā said Harish Iyer, an Indian LGBTQ activist. āIn times of absolute disregard across the world, this effort puts not just the queer community, but India in the forefront of humanitarian efforts.ā
Thailand
Thailand marriage equality law takes effect
Country is first in Southeast Asia to allow same-sex couples to marry

A law that extends marriage rights to same-sex couples in Thailand took effect on Thursday.
Media reports indicate hundreds of same-sex couples tied the knot across the country once the law took effect. The Bangkok Post reported Bangkok Pride and authorities in the Thai capital organized a mass wedding that took place at a shopping mall.
“Today, the rainbow flag is proudly flying over Thailand,” said Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on X.
Thai lawmakers last year approved the marriage equality bill. King Maha Vajiralongkorn signed it last September.
Thailand is the first country in Southeast Asia to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples.
Same-sex couples can legally marry in Taiwan and Nepal.
India
India hotel chain policy allows for cancellation of unmarried couples’ reservations
OYO Rooms issued directive on Jan. 9, requires proof of relationship

Traveling in India is becoming increasingly challenging for unmarried couples, with LGBTQ partners facing even greater hurdles.
OYO Rooms, a major hospitality chain, on Jan. 9 issued a directive to its partner hotels in Meerut, a city that is 50 miles from New Delhi, that allows them to refuse to allow unmarried couples to make reservations.
The chain now requires all couples to present valid proof of their relationship at check-in, even for online bookings. The company stated the decision aligns with local social sensibilities and hinted that the policy might be expanded to other cities based on feedback from the ground.
OYO, which partners with more than half a million hotels across India, operates not only within the country but also in other parts of Asia, the U.S., and Europe. According to sources familiar with the policy change, the company previously received feedback from civil society groups, particularly in Meerut, urging action on this issue. Residents from other cities have also petitioned to disallow unmarried couples from booking rooms in OYO hotels.
OYO and other budget hotel chains for years have been perceived in India as safe spaces for couples seeking privacy. This policy change, however, has sparked criticism online. Many view it as a departure from the brand’s long-standing image as a haven for unmarried couples. In a society where many couples struggle to find private spaces at home or elsewhere, this move has drawn backlash for restricting access to affordable accommodation.
LGBTQ couples, who often rely on OYO and other budget hotels for privacy, may feel the impact of this decision more acutely.
The Supreme Court in 2023 ruled LGBTQ people have the right to form relationships without discrimination, but it also ruled against marriage rights for same-sex couples. OYO’s policy, and others like it, further limit the availability of same spaces for them as they continue to face marginalization.
India in 2023 welcomed approximately 9.23 million foreign tourists, an increase from 7 million in 2021, though still below the pre-pandemic peak of 10.93 million in 2019. While there are no specific records for LGBTQ tourists, the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association. Restrictive policies like OYO’s directive, however, could create difficulties for LGBTQ travelers seeking budget accommodations.
“OYO is committed to upholding safe and responsible hospitality practices,” said OYO North India Region Head Pawas Sharma in a statement to Press Trust of India. “While we respect individual freedoms and personal liberty, we also recognize our responsibility to listen to and work with law enforcement and civil society groups in the micro-markets we operate in. We will continue to review this policy and its impact periodically.”
The multinational company claims to be reshaping outdated perceptions by presenting itself as a brand that offers safe experiences for families, students, business travelers, religious pilgrims, and solo travelers.
A survey that Booking.com conducted in 2023 found, 91 percent of LGBTQ travelers in India prioritized their personal safety and well-being when choosing travel destinations, a notable increase from 70 percent in the previous year.
“I am surprised OYO is doing this,” said Kalki Subramaniam, a global transgender activist, artist, and founder of the Sahodari Foundation, an organization that supports trans people in India. “What are they trying to establish through this moral code? Do they really care about every customer? If so, how can they introduce something like this? I would like to know what their stance on LGBTQ rights is.”
The Washington Blade made multiple attempts to contact OYO founder Ritesh Agarwal and his company for comment, but has received no response.
Sudhanshu Latad, advocacy manager at Humsafar Trust, a prominent LGBTQ organization in India, expressed uncertainty about the policyās impact on the LGBTQ community.
“Two boys in India are not considered married anyway, so if two boys book a hotel room together, no one usually bothers unless one is feminine or gives off a hint,” Latad said. “However, for a trans woman and a man, it could be a challenge.”
Latad referenced the Supreme Court’s 2023 marriage equality ruling, which allows trans people who fit into the binary system of gender to legally marry.
“Affluent transgender couples may choose bigger hotels, which are less of a challenge, but economically marginalized individuals often end up paying bribes to hotel staff at budget hotels like OYO Rooms,” he added.
Latad further explained that tourists can generally be divided into two categories: Affluent leisure travelers who prefer luxury hotels, and backpackers.
“If backpackers are gay white men, they usually face no trouble securing a room,” he said. “OYO’s policy, however, seems discriminatory towards heterosexual unmarried couples.”