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{{short description|Indian LGBTIQ+ activist}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sonal Giani
| image =
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| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| occupation = LGBTQ rights activist
| organisation =
| years_active =
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| website = {{URL|sonalgiani.com}}
}}

'''Sonal Giani''' is an Indian [[LGBTQ]] activist and actress. Known for her advocacy and youth work, she focuses on the social impact of India's anti-LGBTQ law, [[Section 377]]. She is the co-founder of LGBTQ youth initiatives ''Yaariyan'' and ''Umangin''.

== Early life ==
Giani grew up in [[Goa]], India and has a twin sister.<ref name="Maheshwri2013">{{Cite magazine |title=Connected Hum Tum: Meet the superwomen |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/connected-hum-tum-meet-the-superwomen/articleshow/20521171.cms |last=Maheshwri |first=Neha |website=[[indiatimes.com]] |date=June 11, 2013 |access-date=June 2, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> She [[came out]] to first her mother, followed by her father after the [[Delhi High Court]] judgement which [[Naz Foundation v. Govt. of NCT of Delhi|struck down Section 377]].<ref name="De2018">{{Cite magazine |title=I was outed without my consent: Sonal Giani |url=https://www.femina.in/celebs/indian/i-was-outed-without-my-consent-sonal-giani-109212.html |last=De |first=Hemchhaya |magazine=[[Femina (India)|Femina]] |date=November 6, 2018 |access-date=June 2, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> At age 19, she was [[outed]] without her consent, leading to feelings of [[Depression (mood)|depression]].<ref name="Magan2019">{{Cite web |title=17 Indian LGBTQI+ Trailblazers Whose Courage Helped Others Love & Live Freely |url=https://www.scoopwhoop.com/women/lgbt-trailblazers-from-india/ |last=Magan |first=Srishti |website=[[ScoopWhoop]] |date=June 11, 2019 |access-date=June 7, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> She describes facing backlash, including [[sexual harassment]] and finding graffiti aimed at her in washrooms.<ref name="S2023">{{Cite magazine |title=LGBTQ+ employees are finding acceptance in Indian companies, but inclusivity challenges exist still |url=https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/deep-dive/story/lgbtq-employees-are-finding-acceptance-in-indian-companies-but-inclusivity-challenges-exist-still-377657-2023-04-17 |last1=S |first1=Vidya |last2=Mitter |first2=Sohini |magazine=[[Business Today (India)|Business Today]] |date=April 30, 2023 |access-date=June 7, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

==Personal life==
In 2013, Giani appeared in the [[reality television]] show ''Connected Hum Tum''.<ref name="Fernandes2020">{{Cite web |title=6 most prominent Indian LGBT activists |url=https://thecsrjournal.in/indian-lgbt-activists-history-month/ |last=Fernandes |first=Kasmin |website=TheCSRJournal.in |date=October 19, 2020 |access-date=June 7, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> The program followed Giani for over a year, documenting her life and her relationship with her female partner at the time.<ref name="Iyer2018">{{Cite news |title=Out and Proud: Sonal Giani on how she came to terms with her sexuality, and found happiness |url=https://www.firstpost.com/living/out-and-proud-sonal-giani-on-how-she-came-to-terms-with-her-sexuality-and-found-happiness-4333479.html |last=Iyer |first=Harish |publisher=[[Firstpost]] |date=February 5, 2018 |access-date=June 7, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> Giani also discussed her bisexuality on the show.<ref name="Fernandes2020" />

== Career and activism ==

Giani worked as an advocacy manager at the [[Humsafar Trust]], a nonprofit that works to improve [[LGBTQ]] rights.<ref name="Iyer2018" /> She cites this job as helping herself heal and "dream of a bias-free, equal world".<ref name="De2018" /> In her role, Giani provided assistance to people facing blackmail or extortion under Indian law based on their sexuality.<ref name="Dore2015">{{Cite magazine |title=How Section 377 Is Being Exploited By The Police and Blackmailers To Extort Men |url=https://caravanmagazine.in/vantage/how-section-377-became-payday-extortionists-and-police-alike |last=Dore |first=Bhavya |magazine=[[The Caravan]] |date=November 3, 2015 |access-date=June 8, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>

{{quote box|width=35em|
|text=The root of this widespread discrimination and marginalization against LBT individuals is not because of hatred amongst the society but because of their utter ignorance towards it.
|salign=right
|source=Sonal Giani<ref name="Khandelwal2023">{{Cite web |title=Situational Analysis and Needs Assessment of Lesbians, Bisexuals Women and Transmasculine Community in India – IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute |url=https://impriinsights.in/situational-analysis-and-needs-assessment-of-lesbians-bisexuals-women-and-transmasculine-community-in-india-impri-impact-and-policy-research-institute/ |last=Khandelwal |first=Krishti |website=ImpriInsights.in |date=June 26, 2023 |access-date=June 8, 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
}}

Giani is a co-founder of ''Yaariyan'' and ''Umang'', two LGBTQ youth groups in [[Mumbai]].<ref name="S2017">{{Cite web |title=8 Inspiring Indian LGBTQ Individuals Who Raged Fearless Wars & Emerged Victorious! |url=https://thebetterindia.com/106115/list-lqbtq-famous-personalities-pride-month/ |last=S |first=Lekshmi Priya |website=[[The Better India]] |date=June 23, 2017 |access-date=June 8, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> In 2023, she became the delegate for Asia and the Pacific on the [[Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS|UNAIDS]] Programme Coordinating Board.<ref name="NGO">{{Cite web |title=Meet Sonal Giani, our new NGO Delegate for Asia & the Pacific |url=https://unaidspcbngo.org/news/sonal-giani-appointed-as-new-ngo-delegate/ |website=unaidspcbngo.org |access-date=June 8, 2025 |language=en |archive-date=June 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250609020049/https://unaidspcbngo.org/news/sonal-giani-appointed-as-new-ngo-delegate/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She also works at [[International Planned Parenthood Federation]] as a senior advisor.<ref name="S2023" />

Giani considers [[same-sex marriage]] a "distant dream" in India, and the lack of this right as a cause of [[discrimination against LGBTQ people]].<ref name="Ratnam2015">{{Cite news |title=Rainbow Wedding |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/xXMuJadSoAYIKtUqyIjS8O/Rainbow-wedding.html |last=Ratnam |first=Dhamini |newspaper=[[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]] |date=July 11, 2015 |access-date=June 7, 2025 |language=en}}</ref> She cites the need to educate others to address these root causes, both in terms of [[sex education]] and better understanding of LGBTQ individuals.<ref name="Khandelwal2023" />

== See also ==

* [[LGBTQ rights in India]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Giani, Sonal}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian LGBTQ people]]
[[Category:Bisexual rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian LGBTQ rights activists]]
[[Category:Indian women human rights activists]]
[[Category:Participants in Indian reality television series]]
[[Category:People from Goa]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

Sonal Giani - Revision history

ViolaCnr7137989: created the entry w/ sources