Aren’t you a man? Don’t be such a sissy!
Don’t walk like a man sticking your breasts out…behave like a girl
These are some of the common statements that we pass without even blinking an eye. How many of us actually know that it is a classic case of bullying?
How many of us know how the LGBTQIA community of the grassroots level are stuck in the vicious cycle of poverty. They are living in abject poverty, oppressed, denied their basic necessities and with no access to employment.
It is true that now the Indian government recognises the third gender, but how accepted is it in reality? What is the level of implementation?
Recently, in an attempt to break the silence and create a dialogue around the LGBTQIA community, Give launched an online campaign titled #NoPrideinPrejudice. The launch was with a hard-hitting video comprising a spoken word performance by Prerna Talukdar of Give featuring Zeeshan Ali, a popular Drag Artist and LGBTQIA activist from Bangalore.
Through their performance, Zeeshan and Prerna speak about the everyday struggles of the community, the darkness and isolation, and influence the less privileged and empowered to break out of their vicious cycle. To own their identity and be fearless of being who they are.
They also sensitise the mainstream about the impact their actions can have on the LGBTQIA community. How they can be instrumental in empowering them to be liberated from the shackles of poverty and oppression.
A scathing five-minute video which shows a mirror to the mainstream society and how their prejudiced minds have always ostracised the LGBTQIA community deprived them of equal opportunities, labelled them into categories and forced them to live a life of painful stereotypes.
Prerna’s powerful words take us through a ride down the lanes of history and mythology, where our gods and goddesses explored plural sexuality, Krishna was one and the same as Mohini. She points out how Krishna will always have to keep Mohini hidden in today’s world and how we have forced everyone into a binary box. She speaks about the hijra community and asks why they are forced to beg on the streets.
Prerna who has always felt very strongly for the community and has been an active voice of dissent against gender-based discrimination grabbed the opportunity to voice her words creatively. Talking about the campaign she points out, “Numerous people from this community, still live hidden. Many don’t even know that there is a community out there to provide support. Awareness is what is needed, education should be for all.
Poverty is not related to just economy, a loss of quality life is poverty, loss of rights is poverty. #NoPrideinPrejudice is a campaign to raise these questions. It is an attempt to bring the LGBTQIA community into the mainstream.”
The campaign is a fundraiser for Keshav Suri Foundation (KSF) and their fellowship for members of the queer community. Through this fellowship, KSF aims to create an equal platform for members of the queer community and hone them into social leaders.
KSF believes that in a democracy like India, the representation of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially the Queer representation is almost invisible. Hence this fellowship will help them build leadership skills of the queer youth who can later become representatives of the community.
You can play an important role in creating queer youth leaders by donating to this campaign and help secure the democratic and inclusive future of the nation.
Join us in building a better India, one without prejudice, where each and every member of the society is part of the mainstream. A society that is devoid of gender-based discrimination, where love has no gender and faces no discrimination.
Come help us spread the message… #NoPrideinPrejudice. Donate to empower queer youth leaders.
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Established in 2000, Give is the largest and most trusted giving platform in India. Our community of 2.6M+ donors have supported 2,800+ nonprofits, impacting 15M+ lives across India.
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