A vibrant wedding video recently shot in California has ignited a passionate debate across social media and news outlets, shining a spotlight on the intersection of LGBTQ+ rights, tradition, and legal recognition in India and abroad. The video, which features Tiya and Carol—both dressed in ornate lehengas—participating in a full suite of traditional Hindu wedding rituals, has gone viral, amassing over one million views on X (formerly Twitter) since it was posted by the handle '@wokeflix_' on September 14, 2025. Their celebration, which included exchanging garlands, performing the pheras, participating in a puja, and seeking blessings from elders, has both inspired and polarized viewers around the globe, according to a report by NDTV.
While many praised the couple for their bold and loving embrace of both culture and identity, others took issue with what they saw as a bending of Hindu traditions. One user commented, “I’m all for same sex marriage, but I’m yet to see a nikah done between 2 women or 2 men. Why do Hindu traditional values need to be bent for it? Just do a court marriage and move on. This is just mocking.” This sentiment was echoed by another, who claimed, “Marriage can only be between a male and a female. The word marriage is exclusively for a binding relationship between two separate genders. This stupidity has never happened in the past thousands of years. I call it good friendship or whatever, but it’s definitely not marriage.”
But the online conversation didn’t end with criticism. Many users leapt to the couple’s defense, arguing that Hinduism is more inclusive than detractors claim. One such supporter wrote, “This is not bending any rules. Nowhere in Hinduism is it written that 2 women cannot marry in the Vedic style, unlike others who call it a sin and go for beheading. Hinduism is a great religion, not a man-made list of dos and don’ts.” Another chimed in, “You can leave Hinduism if you are so disappointed with it.” The viral debate is emblematic of broader conversations happening in India and among its diaspora regarding LGBTQ+ rights and cultural tradition, especially in the wake of recent legal developments.
Earlier in 2023, hopes were high among LGBTQ+ advocates in India that the Supreme Court might grant legal recognition to same-sex marriage. Those hopes were dashed when the court rejected a petition seeking such recognition. Instead, the court established a panel to explore granting certain legal rights and benefits to LGBTQ+ couples, a move that some see as a step forward and others view as an inadequate substitute for true equality. As NDTV notes, this legal impasse has only intensified the cultural debate, with viral moments like Tiya and Carol’s wedding serving as flashpoints for discussion.
These debates are not happening in isolation. In fact, they are part of a global conversation about LGBTQ+ rights, migration, and the quest for belonging. A recent article in LGBTQ Nation highlighted the stories of queer Hispanic immigrants in the U.S., many of whom have faced persecution in their home countries and continue to struggle for acceptance and legal recognition in their new homes. The piece reviewed five documentaries released between 2007 and 2020 that explore these themes in depth.
Among them, Through Thick and Thin (2007) offers a poignant look at the struggles bi-national same-sex couples faced prior to the 2015 Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage across the U.S. The film, directed by Sebastian Cordoba, follows seven couples as they battle to stay together in a system that refused to recognize their relationships. As Republican lawmakers in the U.S. now push for the Supreme Court to reconsider Obergefell, Cordoba’s film stands as a stark reminder of what’s at stake for LGBTQ+ immigrants and their American partners.
Another documentary, Forbidden: Undocumented and Queer in Rural America (2016), tells the story of Moises Serrano, a 22-year-old activist who is both queer and undocumented. The film chronicles his fight for the DREAM Act, which would provide a pathway to citizenship for people brought to the U.S. as children. Serrano’s journey is deeply personal—he was denied college admission due to his citizenship status—and his activism is a rallying cry for those who feel invisible in both the immigration and LGBTQ+ movements.
Unsettled: Seeking Refuge in America (2019) shifts focus to LGBTQ+ asylum seekers from Angola, Syria, and the Congo. These individuals, fleeing violence and persecution, found themselves navigating a labyrinthine U.S. immigration system under the Trump administration, which grew increasingly hostile to refugees. According to NPR’s Ari Shapiro, the film reveals that for many queer asylum seekers, “the struggle doesn’t end once they make it to the U.S.”
In The Infiltrators (2019), directors Cristina Ibarra and Alex Rivera blend documentary and drama to recount the true story of two Dreamers who deliberately entered a Florida detention center to assist other undocumented immigrants. Set against the backdrop of President Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, the film is a testament to the lengths activists will go to in order to protect their communities.
Finally, The Right Girls (2021) follows Valentyna, Joanne Stefani, and Chantal—three transgender women who joined a migrant caravan in 2018 to escape violence and discrimination in their home countries. Their 2,400-mile trek from southern Mexico to the U.S. border, as captured by filmmaker Timothy Wolfer, is a powerful reminder of the resilience and solidarity that can flourish even in the harshest circumstances.
Back in India, the conversation about legal rights and recognition for LGBTQ+ couples continues to evolve. On September 24, 2025, the National Law University Odisha (NLUO) in Cuttack is set to host a guest lecture titled “Queering the Law: Looking Beyond Supriyo,” delivered by Ms. Jwalika Balaji, a Research Fellow at the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy. The lecture will delve into the Supreme Court’s decision in Supriyo v. Union of India, a pivotal case that challenged the lack of legal recognition for same-sex marriage and sought protections against discrimination and violence.
While the Supreme Court ruled that there is no fundamental right to marry for same-sex couples and declined to recognize civil unions, it did acknowledge the systemic discrimination faced by the queer community. The court also issued directives for police sensitization, the creation of safe houses, and a ban on conversion therapy. The government’s proposal of a high-powered committee to examine entitlements for queer couples will be a key topic of discussion at the NLUO lecture, as will the future trajectory of LGBTQIA+ rights legislation in India.
Ms. Balaji, with her expertise in family law, equality, anti-discrimination law, and human rights, aims to foster a strategic dialogue about the movement’s next steps. As she and others look beyond the Supriyo verdict, the hope is to chart a path toward legislative reform and greater advocacy—ensuring that the vibrant stories glimpsed in viral videos and documentaries translate into real, lasting change for LGBTQ+ people in India and around the world.
As the world watches, the intersection of tradition, law, and love continues to spark conversation, controversy, and—perhaps most importantly—hope for a more inclusive future.
