While Queer networking app ‘Delta’ released a video, ‘Point Of View’, an organisation that works on sexuality and disability, released a lot of content that many of us retweeted, regrammed and reposted.
It has been a happening week. Last week, we celebrated the IDAHOBIT, the international day against the ills of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and queerphobia. Social media overflowed with many messages supporting the event. While Queer networking app ‘Delta’ released a video, ‘Point Of View’, an organisation that works on sexuality and disability, released a lot of content that many of us retweeted, regrammed and reposted.
The Indian National Congress was the only political party support the initiative for equality. I was overwhelmed by their tweet, though, I do agree that they deserved flak for not standing when they should have.
I also attended the feminist conference organised by ‘She The People’ where I met some incredible women. I was a part of the panel which focused on building public discourse on sexuality. It is good that the feminist conference had a few men as panelists. There were men in the audience too. To me, feminism is not about female superiority but about a stance against discrimination, inequality and prejudice. Sushant Divgikar, the Diva, was at his best in the conference when his presence represented the celebration of the femininity within a man.
At one of the many Facebook live interviews, I stated that veganism, feminism, gender equality and equal rights for LGBT stem from the same root that stands for equality for everybody and a life free of prejudice, irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, disability, caste, creed, gender or species. Speaking on species, my friend Shashvati Siva, instagrammed a photograph of milch animals, raising the point of how female milch animals are treated in the dairy industry. We may not understand veganism, or feminism but when need not understand to respect beings of our kind and others and ensure that they don’t get mistreated.
I spent my Saturday in Delhi. I participated in a panel in the afternoon, and subsequently hosted a big event at the Central Park in Cannaught Place in the evening. The event was organised by Alliance India in Delhi. I was supposed to cross dress. However, due to the paucity of time, I ended up wearing a dhinchak colourful kurta and rolled up my jeans to flaunt my rainbow socks that my friend from South Africa had gifted me. Being on stage to host something huge has never been an easy thing. To me, the best way to up to the game is to send messages to some people I consider close and tell them that I am anxious. Telling does the curing for me. I took to the stage like a fish to water. And we made a whole lot of people stand up and take notice of our existence and our lives. We were far from being invisible, we were invincible.
Well, we cannot convert someone into a homosexual or turn straight ourselves. But, we can of course be fabulous.
Aikoon Ghyaa!
SPEAK UP
Write to sexualitydna@gmail.com to tell us how you feel about this column.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Harish Iyer")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}