We have done 2 GLBT Pride marches with little or no opposition and question is still unanswered Is Chennai ready and open? More importantly the question should be Is LGBT community ready and open? If u were at the Pride you will choose the words dismal and disappointing to describe the participation. Examine the participants from each of the LGBT and their background you will be surprised at the social and economic spread. Maslow, Darwin and Moore were all right!
Of 50 gays who walked 10 were not natives of Chennai (may be they felt comfortable walking the pride in a city where they don’t live or belong), 10 were family and supporters, 10 were foreign nationals, and only 20 city boys walked with pride. Even among those only 10 walked without masks or other disguises.
We all know the number of people from Chennai who are registered on websites such as Planet roomeo, Gaydar, adultfriendfinder, etc. looking to meet their own community to satiate various desires. Of 10,000 plus in the city (assuming that 10% of the population is gay, my number is lot more conservative (I am a Chennaite!))only 20 walked the pride. Is it alarming or appalling?
I sent text messages to 10 of my friends that morning, many didn’t respond and I was just able to convince one of them to walk with me. And I had to assure him that I would get him a mask to wear. At the end of the pride he was happy and fear was quashed.
Many from the LGBT stayed on the sidelines and watched the parade along with the public. Many stayed behind the walls and firewalls, watched the pride coverage on television or read about it in the newspaper the next morning. Well that is how the LGBT community in Chennai and much across India is. Many who walked had disguise masks and crossed their fingers hoping not be spotted in the media by near and dear at home and work. Is it really a Pride walk or Paranoid walk?
It is not just with walking, it is with working and volunteering. Organizers and volunteers of the Pride March say it is tough to get people to volunteer for community. Truth is that most of us are watchers than walkers!
Chennai pride is just 2 years old, but LGBT community has always been a part of this city thrived and flourished in the underbelly. Now the time has come to work within the community and work outside the community. Deal with real issues apart from just the walk or community activity before the walk.
1.How can we get the rest of the community to shed their apprehension and take that first step towards the labor statute? How can we build trust, confidence and create a safe world for them to live, walk and laugh?
2.Gay, Lesbians, Transgenders and bi-sexual people exist at every social and economic level. How do we get representation from all strata and all regions? How do we create the inclusiveness? What is our grass root strategy?
3.Though we walked together as LGBT, but each of us has different sets of challenges and issues. How do we address them separately? For ex: Men are bold and brave to be a part of online community and meet people, but women get little chance to meet birds of same feather and are apprehensive about their safety and meeting people from online world.
4.How do we help each of the 4 groups with road maps to life and happy living (dating, relationship, old age, social responsibility)? How do we leverage literature and the social models from West and Indianize it? How do we prepare and support them for the life ahead?
5.How do we create more awareness and acceptance among LGBT circle of interaction and influence (family, work, friends and extended family) and policy makers?
6.How do we change public perception of L, G B and T and sustain image makeover?
7.Why can LGBT community be responsible, caring, loving, sensitive, and socially conscious and participative?
8.Can’t we can be the change we want to see in the world? Can’t we make healthy road maps from the next generation LGBT?
I am parking just a few questions that occured to me during the march. I am sure there are many more out there. Hope I will be able to take it up with the local community for a discussion.
Until then let the Labor statue (labor of love) remind of us the hard work ahead of us and my belabor end!
