Started by Umang Sheth, co-founder of Gay Bombay, this club is for gays and gay-friendly people, facing problems in life, especially those who are coming out.
A hugging club in the past six months has helped five people by taking them to psychiatrists or counsellors and has even stopped a person from committing suicide. Started by Umang Sheth, co-founder of Gay Bombay, this club is for gays and gay-friendly people, facing problems in life, especially those who are coming out. The club has planned a workshop in May with a Gay-friendly counsellor to help several others.
"The Hugging Club Of India completed six months. So far, we have taken five people to psychiatrists/counsellors, and have convinced and stopped one person from committing suicide. Our next meeting will be a workshop with a gay-friendly counsellor on May 20," said Sheth. On a serious note, he says he wants to be the Oprah Winfrey of India. He's also learning counselling to help more people.
The Hugging Club Of India (HCI) meets are organised for gays and gay-friendly folks. It's mostly on Sundays and organised at a casual place. Sheth claim that his aim is to reach out to a larger audience that needs help, but does not know where to go. HCI fulfils the criteria, and hence within a short span of time, it has been able to reach a larger audience.
For people like Nayeem Khan Rajput, who was suffering from a major crisis, the HCI has helped him come out of the tough times. "Till six months ago, I was facing a major crisis in my life. HCI not only helped me get through the tough time, but also helped me realise that I am not alone, there are many like me, and people have deeper troubles than me. When I heard their stories, I was like I am not the only person suffering. This has helped me a lot. Now, whenever, I get into a depression, I talk to people, I recollect the stories and I have realised, that it helps. I have made friends via this club and we share our problems here," said Rajput.
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