"Dream, Dream, Dream! Conduct these dreams into thoughts, and then transform them into action."
- Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
21 Dec 2023
Queer-focused festivals strive to bring the community back into the mainstream through prizes, panel discussions, and diverse participation:
Queer artists and queer people have existed throughout history, from Ismat Chughtai's 1942 short story 'Lihaaf,' Bhupen Khakhar's 'Two Men in Benares' and 'Yayati,' to Prem Kapoor's 1971 film Badnam Basti. Most of these artists were condemned by society for 'indecent' depictions, and their works were somehow overshadowed in popular history. When they were included, references to them were typically tokenistic rather than substantive. This was one of the motivations for author and journalist Sharif D. Rangnekar's creation of the Rainbow Literature Festival in 2019, which aimed to highlight literature and ideas of, for, and by the LGBTQIA+ community, with the mission of being "queer and inclusive. They had a feeling we needed our own space to talk about gender, sexuality, society, choice, war, love, education, healthcare, and, of course, literature.
Conversations during this year's Rainbow Festival, held on December 9th &10th of 2023, for example, focused on hope, desire, and the law. In a panel discussion moderated by seasoned journalist Puja Talwar, actor Kalki Koechlin discussed her job, parenthood, and raising a new generation.
Of course, the stated objective of such locations is to promote gay art and artists, but it eventually becomes more than that. Communities are built in these segregated, curated pockets: queer people meet other queer people and allies, discover community groups that offer much-needed help and resources, and, most importantly, engage in unfiltered discussions and exchange of ideas without constantly hedging whether people will 'get it'.
Online vs Physical Spaces:
Pranshu, a 16-year-old LGBTQIA+ make-up artist, took his life in Ujjain last month after being subjected to internet bullying. In light of this, and in order to raise awareness of accessible queer support groups and resources, the necessity of physical venues cannot be stressed. Dr. Ramakrishnan spoke at the Rainbow Literature Festival on a panel titled "Desire, Discrimination, and the Queer Journey," which was hosted by novelist and journalist Sandip Roy.
Each year, the event has developed in response to the community's current priorities, whether political or otherwise. "In four years, so much has changed. People who didn't want us to have those rights made a lot of phobic statements after the marriage equality hearings.
Better Understanding:
Many LGBTQIA+ people see arts and culture as a haven in which to express themselves freely. "You'll see a lot of queer people painting, designing or making films or writing about their lives, partly because that's how they find an escape as well as a sense of belonging," he said. It's also a place where members of the community can learn about helpful resources, such as mental health hotlines, support groups, and shelters for queer and trans individuals. In recent years, we have also seen an increase in the number of Indian parents of LGBTQIA+ individuals come forward to welcome them. All of these are evidence of broader acceptability, and as a result, there has been a surge in the number of queer artists!