The sixth edition of ‘Karnataka Queer Habba and Bangalore Pride 2013’ started on Wednesday with the ‘Famila Remembrance Day’. The event will conclude on November 24. The activists who are taking part are hoping that this year, the event will be bigger and better than the previous years.
A number of events will be held each taking place at a different venue. Some of them include ‘Queer Pot Pori’, which is a word game for queer people in regional languages as well as in English, a photo exhibition, ‘Queer Bowling’, ‘Y(our) Stories Nimma Namma Kathgalu, ‘Queer Marathon’, ‘Queer Music’, ‘Queer Words’, poster-making, ‘Queer My Shots’, where people who have shot about queer issues will feature their short films, ‘Queer Theatre’ and ‘Diversity Fair’. The ‘Bangalore Pride March’ will mark an end to this year’s festival.
Speaking about the event, activist Akkai Padmashali said, “Last year, there were around 600 participants and we’re hoping for a larger number this year. We are only demanding our rights.” Romal Singh, another activist, emphasised that this struggle is in no way different from the struggles of ‘Dalits’, women, adivasis, minorities or other repressed communities across the country.
“We want people to realise that amid all the celebration and pride, we’re still a community that deals with struggles in many forms every single day. The festival of Pride and the Pride procession is, however, not just a representative of these demands or a mere celebration. This is a representation of a struggle to be seen, heard and to be taken seriously. It is a struggle for social justice, a political struggle and above all, a struggle for life,” he
explained.
Pointing out that the community has been demanding their rights in the last 10 years, Chandini, another activist said, “Although this festival started six years ago, it’s been 10 years since we have been asking to be recognised. At least, this has given us a chance to come out and express our feelings.
We also have dreams and ambitions and we need support to realise them. In fact, even with so much being done, people have still not been able to understand us,” rued Chandini, adding, “it’s high time that our problems are sorted out.”
Corroborating with Chandini about the day-to-day challenges that the community faces, Veena, another activist said, “There is so much discrimination that we face, be it from family, neighbours or the police.”
Sonu, a representative from the FTM (female to male) community, too felt that a forum of this sort would help them out.
“We are not accepted by the society. Whether it’s getting a job or even hospitals, at every step of the way, we have it tough,” said Sonu.