Are the non-queer movements in India inclusive of LGBTQ+ issues?
When I saw Sadanand Menon’s name in Raya Sarkar’s list I knew the issue of hosting pre-pride events at Spaces would arise. Since I am staying away from all the planning meeting this year I never interfered when Spaces was finalised. During this period I had a conversation with one of the queer activists and mentioned to them about #metoo, the list and what was happening. They weren’t aware of anything, and I wasn’t surprised. They also mentioned that how it would cost if we have to choose another venue apart from Spaces. Spaces is free and with limited resources a place like Spaces really ‘helped’ the LGBT community with the venue. And also being ‘liberal’ meant allowing the LGBT community perform there even if someone opposed. So Spaces was always this ‘perfect’ little venue for us to host events.
To my knowledge we did not have the pre-pride event at Spaces only twice. Once it was in 2015 when the venue was booked by someone else. After much search, we settled to book a hall at Periyar Thidal. That was the time when the caste issue within the LGBT community in Chennai was being discussed openly. A few of us pursued the rest to go with Thidal as it would make a statement. We also mentioned how it only makes sense because it was only in 2014 we started calling the Parade in Tamil as “Vanavil Suya-mariyathai Perani”. But it didn’t make much of a difference to many. Next in 2016 the event was held at Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram, again it was the lack of availability of spaces I believe. Half way through the event someone called the police on us. They asked us to stop the performance and pack-up. So we did. Pre-pride events are fun and a lot of coming-to-terms and new queer persons would attend them. And these kind of events is where we socialise, make friends, and form our little clique. This particular incident scared a lot of them. It was a vulnerable moment for many.
With all the politics that is going on within the queer community in Chennai, I see the change of the venue is only to avoid any PR disaster in the liberal circle – thats just my thought. But as a queer person I cannot stop thinking how many places we have in Chennai to host our public events. As we talk about intersection and as the involvement/visibility of queer individuals in the external movements is growing day by day, I think it is important for the liberals and other movements to talk about our issues of access and safety outside the queer community, in a non-queer context as well.
