Pride events face new odds

By going online, community events are leaving out those with no access to Internet and technology

June is Pride Month, but many events scheduled for the month have been put on hold because of the pandemic.

Some groups are conducting events online so that the month does not go by unmarked.

Sneha, teacher, says mental health awareness has taken the front seat this year. “Most queer people are always politically active, and Pride Month has taken a step back in our minds,” she says.

Namithaa Jayasankar, gender and sexuality educator, says, people are now battling for survival, and that is more important than celebrating Pride Month.

Anirudh G, human rights activist, says physical Pride events have become a shallow mockery of themselves, especially in bigger cities and the West.

Corporate branding, cis-queer dominated transphobic spaces have no place in Pride, and are actually antithetical to the movement, some activists say. “The larger, theatrical and well-known Pride Marches or to put it more accurately, Pride Parades, are largely populated by upper and upper-middle class folks from urban metropolitans, most of them cis-gender, most of them in the broad youth category (18-40 years) and most of them Savarna. It provides a space of community and safety for them, I don’t doubt, but does it serve any greater purpose? I am unsure,” they say.

It is the struggles and efforts of sex workers, trans people, people with disabilities, the working class, and those from persecuted and oppressed religious minorities that have helped create Pride. As the movement got ‘bigger’, the space that these groups enjoyed got smaller, in their view.

These groups, who are too busy fighting the daily battles of food, healthcare, money, livelihood, shelter, family, and mental health, cannot prioritise Pride.

“Capitalist forces necessitate gentrification. June is littered with what I call corporate-appropriated trash,” Anirudh says.

Space of comfort

For many others, Pride is a place of comfort and a sense of belonging. And for them, the possibility of not having a 2020 Pride is disheartening.

“Even though Bengaluru Pride takes place in November, many people travel to the US to take part. To be stuck away from the community is difficult,” says Sneha.

This year is especially tough for those stuck with families that don’t accept their identity, she notes.

“It definitely affects the community’s morale, especially for those closeted. Pride every year is our golden ticket and the entire month pays homage to our struggles and our victories, and expresses our wrath,” says Namithaa.

Online problems

While having an online component to Pride makes it more accessible, moving it altogether to an online space will make it exclusive to people with access to the Internet, gadgets and privilege. This defeats the entire purpose of Pride, activists say.

“Most people who want to make the move online are likely to be cis, Hindu Savarna, upper-middle and upper class, largely able-bodied, young, English-speaking, metro-dwelling members,” says Anirudh.

Jo, digital editor with Gaysi family, says with digital, one never knows if these events are run by the queer community and its allies or people just trying to cash in on the movement.

“Also, marches are more visible. Being online allows people who don’t want to see anything about the community to get away with being in their own homophobic bubbles,” they say. Many groups have, however, been conducting Instagram live events, to share coming-out stories and discuss problems and perspectives.

“A few support groups are organising weekly meetings, but it is not as helpful, as there is no sense of company and fellowship,” says Sneha. The plus point, she says, is that online allows people to transgress limitations of geography and attend events from across the country.

Note: Jo, Namithaa and Anirudh use the pronouns they/them.

Online commotion
In some cases, online sessions have been disrupted by people unsympathetic to the cause. “Nazariya, a queer feminist group, organised a meeting and a group of perverted men came and created a ruckus. We had to end the session. Organisers have to figure out filter mechanisms to ensure that the online spaces are not unsafe,” Sneha says.

Pages to look out for
Where online events are being held for Pride month.
Queer Campus (@QueerCampusBangalore)
All India Queer Association (@aiqa.lgbtqia)
Nazariya (@nazariya.qfrg)
Abhimaan Kolhapur (@abhimaan.kolhapur)
Indian aces (@indianaces_)
Humsafar Trust (@thehumsafartrustofficial)
Gaysi Family (@gaysifamily)