New Delhi, Aug. 14 -- In recent times, we've had movies like Kaathal - The Core (Malayalam) and Gulmohar (Hindi) that had prominent actors like Mammootty and Sharmila Tagore play gay and lesbian characters, respectively. The mental struggle these characters face has been portrayed adeptly too- Mathew's resistance to divorce his wife and Kusum's eagerness to let go of the home her husband built, in their own way showcase denial and defiance. In reality, however, the LGBTQIA+ community continues to face difficulties when it comes to address mental health issues. Based on conversations Lounge has had with members from the community, "accessibility" and "sensitisation" seem to be the main problems here.

"Queerness continues to be pathologize...