Humsafar Dilli chali

Delhi-Mumbai fights are legendary. We queers are no less. Gay boys in Mumbai keep bickering about gay boys in Delhi. My personal assessment is that in the looks and hospitality department, Delhi is an ultimate winner. In the ‘friendliness’ and ‘living life in gay abandon’ department, Mumbai fares better. In the intellectual debates section, Delhi fares better and in the on-ground services section for the LGBTIQ community, Mumbai fares better. Anything that is a comparison between Mumbai and Delhi is quite volatile. And some Mumbai boys (like me) love fights. So happy fighting a good Mumbai-Delhi fight, over this column, while I get my popcorn and entertain myself on my Facebook wall (wink).

Now to some serious stuff. I have visited Delhi many times and have interacted with several informal groups there. I have also attended several panic-stricken calls from Delhi of people in the closet looking for a glimmer of hope. I am not a counsellor but have been a listener who can advice from a personal standpoint. Something we call peer-to-peer (in this case queer-to-queer) community counselling. Many have travelled from Delhi to Mumbai to meet people at the Humsafar Trust and avail of their professional counselling, the peer-to-peer discussions and support system that forms the DNA of the organisation.

I am very happy to share that the Humsafar Trust has opened a centre in Delhi. It is replete with a drop-in centre where people can meet, engage and discuss. More than anything, it will be a non-discriminatory place with a ‘come-as-you-are’ policy. For any minority to be in the midst of ‘people like us’ is a matter of great relief. The centre will also provide referrals for health services and help with HIV and STI testing. It will also form the centre for Humsafar Connect which focusses on capacity building of other organisations in the northern region. One could also expect work at the policy level, getting a fillip with Humsafar joining forces with other groups already doing a marvellous job in Delhi.

The group will also be the bastion for youthful energy with Gautam Yadav, founder member of Mumbai-based LGBTIQ youth group Yaariyan, who is also a part of the founding team of Humsafar Delhi. This centre was inaugurated by our strongest straight ally, who is more than a part of our community, Anjali Gopalan. One of the people who lit the inaugural lamp was the founder of Humsafar Trust and undeniably one of the torch bearers of genesis of the LGBTIQ movement, Ashok Row Kavi.

Coming back... sorry for starting one chotta Delhi-Mumbai fight here. I wasn’t serious.

Pan atta bhandan bandh kara. Humsafar laa yaad kara.

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