The Sunday afternoon on 15th June, city of joy Kolkata brought out its creative cult to gear up for the forthcoming Rainbow Pride Walk on July, 13th. Kolkata Rainbow Pride Festival (KRPF) hosted an event at WBVA tower near EM bypass where the queer community and its supporters joined hands for a colourful event of poster making and pride accessories workshop. This event was initiated by Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk (KRPW)- a common platform of groups/ organizations and individuals coming together to organize the city’s annual pride march.
The workshop started at 2 PM despite an unfavourable swing of weather in the city. The five hours long event manifested few brilliant pieces of artworks, posters, banners, masquerades and several notable pride accessories. The colours, posters and all the supporting articles were provided by the organizers, though the members were happily allowed to carry along their choicest materials. The workshop showcased the unbeatable enthusiasm and the love for the community from both within and outside the queer family.
“The enthusiasm just got us so high this year that our creativity did wonders on coloured papers through crayons,” said one of the representatives of KRPF, “the event turned out to be more interesting when the debates on slogans brought us innovative lines and thoughts!” The workshop did see brilliant ideas coming out from individuals where participants crayoned their voice on papers to combat the silent law on queer rights. One of the members of KRPF mentioned, “This pride and workshop will hold the movement for equal rights more firm and stout especially after shocking ruling of the apex court criminalizing consensual gay rights.” Members from KRPW looked optimistic since a large participation of youth was observed. A wave of fresh slogans was cultivated as this is first such pride in the city after draconian and colonial law of Section 377 of IPC got re-instated. “The event ended up with a strong message to the homophobic and silent society that the unheard voices will be registered this time,” said a college teen who joined the forum for the first time ever.