RAQS (Resistive Alliance for Queer Solidarity) organized its first event on 24 March, 2017 in Svaraj Vidyapeeth, Allahabad on ‘Alternative Gender and Sexual Identity’ whose main speaker was Dharmesh. He shared his views on who is Queer, what is Queer Movement, how has state and society denied queer individuals their human rights and what advances have they made to ensure their rights.
The discourse was held as an open session where around 30 more people participated. After Dharmesh, Nighat Gandhi and Nidhi Mishra shared their views and answered counter-questions. Ankit Pathak, Rama Shankar Singh and Toshi Shankar informed how the state provides acceptance to its citizens only in certain conditions.
Answering a question, Ankit said that state performs violence in the name of citizenship. In response to a question asked by a young man that God has created only two genders and so if we accept other genders and sexual identities where would that lead us, and that if it is natural why is it not found in animals; Rama replied that first and foremost stigmatization of animals must stop as greatness of humans over others is a meaningless concept. He further stated that animals and plants regularly transcend the boundaries of gender and sexuality.
The program was conducted by Ankit Pathak. RAQS is an organization which is initiating the conversation on sexual orientation, sexual health, sexual and gender identities in Allahabad. It is trying to reach out to people in Hindi using common language.
Visit the Facebook page of RAQSor mail Dharmesh at: chaubeydharmesh0@gmail.com
- Session on Gender and Sexual Identity held in Allahabad - March 26, 2017