1 week Ago By Parvana K B
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Celebrations mingled with seminars, meets, deliberations and underlining the need for more action will mark the 13th Kerala Queer Pride that kicked off on Thursday in the capital, as hopes for a better tomorrow filled the air around the venues where the pride would turn part-party, part-protests over the next four days. Crisp with the slogan of ‘Celebrate Diversity’, the event began with a campaign tour that began at East Fort, inaugurated by actor Jolly Chirayath and artist Nadira Mehir, a member of the queer community. The campaign tour was grandiose in a sense, with the KSRTC Swift’s double-decker ‘Nagarakazhchakal’ ride arranged exclusively for the community members.
The evening became more colourful, as Manaveeyam Veedhi set the stage for a dusk tinted in poetry and short stories by participants. “Pride events are usually held for two days, but the capital’s acceptance and support for the queer community, urged us to expand this year’s celebration into an extensive four-day event,” says Diya Sana, activist, and a member of the organising community. There is more in store as part of the Queer Pride march this year.
Some are unique events, like the first-ever queer students’ summit. Then, there are panel discussions, film screenings, literature night, DJ night, and the flagship Pride March on the list. All these will be spread out over multiple locations through the weekend.
The organisers want the cultural, social, and political programmes to bring together members of the queer community, cultural activists, media personnel, students, and representatives from governmental and non-governmental organisations across Kerala. Such a platform provided in the capital would pave the way for a camaraderie that would lead to more awareness of the rights of the people of the community, they feel. The logo of the event this year also matches the sentiment.
Two feathers shaped to represent a couple in rainbow colours mean liberation and acceptance of LGBTQIA+ individuals, according to the organising team. “It calls for a world where queer people can express their identities without fear, supported by our communities, and celebrated for who we are. Like a feather, we should be free to move through life with resilience and pride, unburdened by discrimination or societal constraints,” they say.
The art exhibition at Bharat Bhavan, which will be held on Friday, would further this aim. The student meet, the first of its kind in India, will also be held here at 10am. This meeting will address the challenges faced by queer students in educational institutions, document their concerns, and submit the findings to the higher education department for further action.
Fifty students who registered online will participate in the meet. Then follows an evening of cultural programmes and a film screening in collaboration with the Kerala Chalachitra Academy. The latter will be inaugurated by director Jeo Baby and academy secretary C Ajoy.
This too is a first, say the organisers, and as per the demand for such a screening by the community members. The schedule for October 19 features two panel discussions. The first will focus on constitutional rights for the queer community, while the second will address queer migration, observing the challenges individuals face while relocating for safety or acceptance.
The evening will once again feature cultural programmes and film screenings. The highlight of Kerala Queer Pride, the flagship Pride March, is scheduled for October 20, beginning at 2.30pm from the Secretariat.
The march will proceed through Martyrs’ Square at Palayam before concluding at Manaveeyam Veedhi. This event is anticipated to attract a large crowd, celebrating solidarity and freedom of expression. After the march, participants can enjoy cultural performances and a DJ night.
In addition to the march, a discussion titled ‘Survival, Expression, Existence/Identity’ will be held at 9.30am at Manaveeyam Veedhi. This discussion will include sex workers in Kerala and advocates who have raised their voices for their rights.
“Every year, the location of Pride March changes to different districts. The politics of Pride will be highlighted in every events. But there has not been any significant movement beyond this,” Diya says, adding the events this time have been designed to change this and bring about action that speaks alongside words.
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