Journalism Social Media Photography

Sheetal Martine Joseph

I am a social media professional, content creator, emerging journalist and writer.

My core competencies include creating content multidimensionally through print, online and visual journalism, trends analysis, research and social media marketing.

Journalism/Writing Portfolio

Articles on PinkNews

Check posts on @pnprideforall in Instagram for more original global LGBTQ+ news I have managed to cover. 

PinkNews •

Study shows this country has the highest support for same-sex marriage anywhere in the world

A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center has revealed vast differences in attitudes towards same-sex marriage around the world.

The report, which covers research carried out over the last two years, revealed that only 2 per cent of adults support same-sex marriage in Nigeria compared to 92 per cent in Sweden.

The survey contains a larger data set than it did previously: up from 24 countries in June this year to 32 countries now. It breaks down the views held by people by several fac
PinkNews •

The fascinating history of LGBTQ+ rights in Thailand

This week, we heard the positive LGBTQ+ news that Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has approved an equality bill that would legalise same-sex marriage, which will be brought to parliament on 12 December.

However, the road to same-sex marriage in the country has, at times, been a rocky one.

In 2022, Thailand’s parliament debated four laws, including legislation aimed at granting same-sex couples marriage equality, but did not come to a final vote before the session ended.

The ruling
PinkNews •

Kenya could lose 'billions' if harsh anti-LGBTQ+ law comes into force

A recent study has raised serious concerns regarding potential consequences to Kenya’s economy if the nation’s government goes ahead with planned anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.

According to a report by economist and social scientist Professor Fred Ogola, Kenya risks serious economic losses estimated at roughly Ksh 4.186 trillion (approximately £23.12 billion) if president William Ruto approves the controversial Family Protection Bill.

The bill heavily mirrors Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill and has
PinkNews •

High-ranking Italian general Roberto Vannacci fired over 'anti-gay' book

Italian general Roberto Vannacci is facing disciplinary action after making homophobic, misogynistic and racist statements in his recently published book.

In The World Upside Down, he wrote: “Dear homosexuals, you’re not normal, get over it. Normality is heterosexuality. If everything seems normal to you, however, it is the fault of the plots of the international gay lobby which banned terms that until a few years ago were in our dictionaries.”

He also likened gay adoption to “cannibalism”.

V
PinkNews •

Trans student wins legal case against university that wouldn't admit them

A trans student in India has won their legal case against a university after being denied admission, citing India’s anti-discrimination reservation system.

The state of Karnataka’s High Court has directed the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) to grant admission to a transgender student, after the student filed a petition to challenge the university’s decision not to admit them.

Mugil Anbu Vasantha had applied to the all-India entrance exam conducted by the NLSIU under the general
PinkNews •

Top Indian filmmaker reveals struggles with sexuality growing up

Karan Johar, director and producer of some of Bollywood’s biggest hits, has opened up about pretending to be in love with a girl in high school after being called gay.

Although Johar has never officially come out as gay, he hasn’t shied away from strongly inferring that he identifies as LGBTQ+ without saying it conclusively.

The Kuch Kuch Hota Hai director has cited negative attitudes towards homosexuality in India as the reason for withholding full details about his sexuality.

The filmmaker
PinkNews •

This Indian state’s groundbreaking initiative helps trans community get into higher education

An inspiring initiative from the Kerala State Literacy Mission is helping the trans community in India access higher education and realise their career goals.

Ziya Paval was thrust into the spotlight when she and her partner became the first openly trans couple to become biological parents in India earlier this year.

On Instagram, Paval wrote: “We are about to realise my dream of becoming a mother and (my partner’s) dream of becoming a father.

“From what we came to know, this is the first tra

Articles from Projects

Mx Genderfluid reports •

Communal Violence in Bangladesh during Durga Puja

Bangladesh witnessed one of the worst communal violence targeting its Hindu minority during the festival celebrations of Durga Puja. Religious tensions broke out on October 13th, 2021 when a Facebook post showed a copy of the Quran placed on a Hindu Idol’s lap in a temple in Cumilla district.

Hindus make up around 8.6% of the total population in Bangladesh. According to official reports, about seven people were confirmed to have died, and more than 150 were wounded. Dr Sandeep Das, one of the c
The Gender Verse •

Maia Kobabe & the New Era of Queer Storytelling

You might know Maia Kobabe as the author of Gender Queer: A Memoir, a book at the centre of the newest wave of book bans in American public schools and libraries. However, to many queer and trans youth and adults worldwide, Kobabe, who uses e/em/eir pronouns, provided comfort and a message of hope – that even some of the least represented identities, such as asexuality and being gender diverse, are just as valid. One of the lives that the book also touched was mine, the writer behind this articl
The Gender Verse •

Eva Echo: Representation & Embracing Your Own Kind of Beauty

This week, Eva Echo was recognised for her achievements as a LGBTQI woman during DIVA Awards 2022 and won the title, Unsung Hero of the Year. Though they came out late in life, the 42-year-old Trans Activist, who uses she/they pronouns, has been persevering to give trans and non-binary people more voice and representation through her various roles. This includes being Head of Communications in Birmingham Pride, Trans Spokesperson in Gendered Intelligence, Brand Ambassador of London Transgender C
The Gender Verse •

“You can’t separate my autistic identity from my queer identity…”

Savan Gandecha (he/they) is a content creator that joined PinkNews Team in January of this year. In a conversation with me, Savan talked about his intersectional identity of being on the spectrum, non-binary, bisexual and of a South Asian ethnicity.

Savan was diagnosed with dyslexia when they were 17 and autism when he was 24. “I’ve had a supportive, like a better help support since I was two They noticed that I had learning difficulties but no official diagnosis until later,” the 32-year-old s
Mx Genderfluid reports •

Queer Spaces with LGBTQ Bookstores

From having only one queer bookstore, the UK has seen the emergence of multiple independent LGBTQ bookstores and online retailers in the past year.

Bookstores open the pathway to the local community. They are a haven to exchange and indulge in ideas and they build a bridge for you, connecting the past, present and future.

Queer bookstores have played a huge role in being the centres of LGBTQ movements and a sober space inclusive to all ages, genders, and sexualities. For a long time, Gay’s the
The Gender Verse •

Trans Representation in Bollywood

Representation in movies and other forms of media is significant in how the larger public perceives the collective identity of trans and non-binary people. There were many ways the trans characters portrayed in the history of cinema were damaging, including – considering their identity as crossdressing, as a fetish or overly sexualising their bodies, villainising them, and making invasive jokes around genitals. This misrepresentation stemmed from trying to define transgender people from a hetero

Featured Articles

Articles I wrote for The Queer Queue Website.

The Queer Queue •

First Season Recap of "Everything's Gonna Be Okay" and Praise For a Series Authentically Portraying Queer and Neurodivergent Characters

On April 8th, the second season of the American comedy series “Everything’s Gonna Be Okay” premiered. We thought this would be the perfect time to recap the series and champion this groundbreaking show to gauge what to expect from this new season. The series premiered in January 2020 and was an immediate charmer, tackling serious issues with the utmost sensitivity and the right amount of wit and heart.

The pilot set the stage for a narrative about a gay entomologist, Nicholas (played by series
The Queer Queue •

Vita and Virginia: Queer Love and The Themes of Their Lives

“Love Letters: Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West” is a curated collection of letters and journal entries that trailed the deeply passionate relationship between the literary geniuses, Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. While Vita is now well-known for her garden and love affairs today, she actually was a more prominent author and poet than Virginia when they first met in 1922, though she was ten years younger than Virginia.

In February, the book launched during LGBT+ History Month in
The Queer Queue •

"Heaven Official’s Blessing" Donghua: Review

With China’s censorship of LGBTQ+ representation in media, it is difficult to find queer content in books, TV series, and movies. However, that didn’t stop Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù (MXTX), an anonymous Chinese author, from writing ‘danmei’ or BL (Boy Love) books. As of today, she has published three novels depicting gay romance. To show her influence on queer representation in Chinese media, it would be worth mentioning that the Netflix LGBTQ+ sensation “Untamed” is based on her novel “Mo Dao Zu Shi” w
The Queer Queue •

Recommends Non-Binary Drag Artists You Should Know Of

The world of drag is all about challenging stereotypes. It is a gender-bending form of art where you dress up to exaggerate a specific gender identity. Usually, it has been performed to portray the opposite sex. There have been many debates questioning why queer cis men as drag queens have mostly dominated the world of this art compared to drag kings. However, by defying all gender stereotypes, we have seen the rise of trans drag artists in recent times who have taken up the stage to break down
The Queer Queue •

Recommends Their Favorite Queer Comics and Graphic Novels (Fiction): Part 2

Queer intersectional representation is explored profoundly in many comics and graphic novels. Last week, we explored four comics with queer characters and themes, and this week, we are continuing the list with four more of our favorites! To read our previous recommended queer comics and graphic novels, click here.

Cross orientation, also known as “mixed-orientation,” is used when a person’s romantic attraction to a gender group doesn’t match their sexual attraction. Initially, a concept formed
The Queer Queue •

Recommends Their Favorite Queer Comics and Graphic Novels (Fiction): Part 1

LGBTQ+ themes in comics and graphic novels have been explored from the early 1970s whether it was in the underground or to appeal to mostly a straight crowd like in the genres of Yaoi and Yuri in Japanese Manga. However, it wasn’t until recent years that queer representation in this form of media has been done right, even better than LGBTQ+ YA fiction novels.

Having read mangas, webtoons, and graphic novels for a long period of time, I recognized a bunch of comics that provide varied and divers
The Queer Queue •

The Queer Queue's Pride Collection: "Ninety-percent"

Maurine stirs in her sleep and frowns when she realizes she is not in her bed. Not the one beside her roommate nor the one back home. She wanted to make a run for her cozy cotton-wool duvet that would sink under the weight of her body. As she tried to move over the coarse sheets, the heaviness she felt around her waist made her feel confined. This was not like her.

She vaguely remembered staring at her mobile screen as it chimed several times. Calls and messages silently became notifications, u
The Queer Queue •

The Queer Queue's Pride Collection: "Kamikaze Two"

Twilight sets in as Natasha and Elliot get dressed in white. No, they weren’t getting married.

Standing by the kitchen door, they peep at the royals entering the Diwan in white thawbs and keffiyehs. The mellow light of the crystal chandelier casts crooked shadows while they fix their white burqas. With a sigh, they carry a tray of assorted drinks into the expanse adorned with wooden hand-crafts and Pietra Firma Luxtouch tiles.

There are men and women in white suits and abayas serving roasted s

Articles written for Trident Media UK, my course and the Journalism Society Blog.

Trident Media •

Spotlight on Alumnus: Ellie Pilcher

At 25, Eleanor “Ellie” Pilcher is the Marketing Manager of Avon HarperCollins Publishing and her debut novel What planet can I blame this on? is coming out on June 3rd this year. Her romance with writing began ever since she could “hold a pen".

“Initially, I would just practice my autograph on the wall with a felt tip and later at the age of six, I started writing short stories and novellas,” the freelance journalist confessed. “I didn’t realise my writing could become a career until I was thir
Trident Media •

Society in Spotlight: Herts SU LGBT+ Society

It’s February and the whole University is immersed in celebrations of LGBT+ History Month! Held in February to coincide with the 2003 abolition of Section 28 of the 1988 Local Government Act, the LGBT+ History Month provides an opportunity for the community to honour and celebrate those who came before them and to think about the challenges yet to be overcome.

Throughout the month, the University and the Student Union are hosting a range of informative, thought-provoking, and fun events and act

When are we going to shift to eco-friendly PPE?

After 11 months into the pandemic and £15 billion invested for PPE, the government and educational institutions have had difficulty shifting to more eco-friendly PPE. The use of single-use PPE and incorrect disposal have led to 53.3 million facemasks being sent to landfills in the UK each day in November.

The Health, Safety and Sustainability Team in the University of Hertfordshire reported having purchased, for semester A, 45,200 items of PPE for the Health and Social Work School and 36,650 items of PPE for the Life and Medical Sciences School.

The students in these schools have revealed that the university provided a different set of PPEs regularly for classes even if the students brought their own reusable PPE. “We have to change from our mask into a university disposable mask, a plastic apron and plastic gloves which we dispose of at the end of the day,” said Mathangi, a physiotherapy student.

A Catalonian's view on Brexit

“I’m not particularly keen on the European Union as a political project,” said Dr Ignasi Torrent Oliva as he expressed his support for Brexit.

The 32-year-old from Catalonia first came to the UK in late 2017 for a short stay and later settled down with a pre-settled status in October 2018.

“I moved to the UK because my country, in terms of career, cannot offer me what the UK can,” the economic emigrant confessed. Staying in London, he felt, gave him exposure to international politics and opened up a whole set of cultural opportunities.

With Brexit, there have been uncertainties regarding career opportunities in the UK for EU citizens and vice versa.
Journalism Society •

University of Hertfordshire’s First Pride

While the UK celebrated its annual LGBT History Month in February, the University of Hertfordshire saw its first Pride. In a conversation with the president of LGBT+ Society, we discovered how the idea came about and the events the society organized for the university’s first Pride.

Chloe McKendrick is a year two politics and international relations student and she has been the president of the LGBT+ society since this academic year.

“The pride was my idea from last year and since from when I

Nine articles published under my by-line while I worked as a junior reporter intern at The Times of India, ITO, New Delhi (Nov-Dec 2018).

The Times of India •

Vulnerable witnesses get extra ‘cover’ at court | Delhi News - Times of India

NEW DELHI: Delhi high court Chief Justice Rajendra Menon on Wednesday said that “errors, mistakes and blunders make us wiser”, for we have been committing such errors while dealing with survivors of sexual offences. He was speaking at the inauguration of a new facility for vulnerable witnesses, including survivors of sexual crimes, and a legal clinic for inmates at the Patiala House Courts.

“Victims have faced all types of hardships where they were intimidated, harassed and, in fact, tortured,
The Times of India •

Disabled put on a brave face, ask for equal rights | Delhi News - Times of India

NEW DELHI: Thousands of people congregated at the India Gate Amar Jawan Jyoti on Monday to show solidarity on International Disability Day .

Organised by National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) and American India Foundation(AIF), the event saw music and dance performances by students from the National Association of the Blind, Muskaan School and SNS Foundation. We are One, a group of disabled dancers, also captivated the audience with their performance. The eve
The Times of India •

Lonely at top: Pedestrians prefer jaywalking to skywalking at ITO | Delhi News - Times of India

NEW DELHI: It has been more than a month since Delhi’s longest pedestrian structure was thrown open, and yet people haven’t really warmed to the ITO skywalk .

Connecting the Pragati Maidan metro station to Sikandra Road, Mathura Road, Tilak Marg and Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg , the Rs 54.84 crore structure was constructed for pedestrian safety . But few people, far less than the estimated average of 30,000 people, are using the skywalk regularly.

School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) had pl
The Times of India •

Annual Christmas fair brings German delicacies to Delhi | Delhi News - Times of India

Celebrate Christmas The German Way during German Christmas Market Is Organized By The Indo-German Chamber Of C...

NEW DELHI: With Christmas round the corner, many prepare to celebrate it in the different ways of their local cultures and traditions. Delhi, too, hosts several events, and one of them is the German Christmas Market.

The two-day annual event, taking place this year on December 8 and 9, is organised by the German embassy and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce and supported by the

Research Papers

Jus Dicere

Evolution of Rule of Law into the 21st Century

The concept of Rule of law has been a part of human society from time immemorial. As it began to evolve from a religious paradigm to a secular one, several philosophers tried to define it and implement it to safeguard the rights of the people. One of the first and still most influential studies of the Rule of Law was that AV Dicey in an Introduction of the Study of the Constitution. With the passage of time, it became an integral part of government systems of various countries and its definition