“Curiosity, that crosses the line into someone's boundaries, becomes a form of harassment,” states Smita Shetty Kapoor, CEO and co-founder of Kelp. This is especially true for individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, who are often subjected to intrusive, deeply personal questions under the guise of curiosity. According to a 2023 LGBT+ Inclusion at Work report by Deloitte, nearly 83 per cent of LGBTQIA+ employees in India reported experiencing discrimination and 95 per cent experienced micro-aggressions in the workplace.

While some members of the community may choose to answer questions to foster understanding, it is not their responsibility to explain or justify their gender identity or sexuality, particularly in professional settings. “Curiosity can easily turn harmful when it's used as a mask for invasive questioning. Asking someone about their body, sexual preferences, or intimate details of their life is inappropriate and crosses clear boundaries. This behaviour is not only unprofessional but also dehumanising, reducing an individual to a mere label or identity rather than seeing them as a whole person,” explains Kapoor.