City must open its spaces to LGBTQ+ community

Representation pic

Mumbai's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ (LGBTQ+) film festival is ready to roll. The 17th edition of the Kashish Pride Film Festival will be held across three South Mumbai venues between June 3 and June 7.

The film fest has a new venue this year: the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA), in addition to the other two SoBo venues. This is a welcome addition to the festival, which has been held annually without interruption, even during the pandemic, when the event was held online and later in a hybrid format with physical screenings and streaming.

Diversity and inclusivity are all very well, but we need to put real meaning into those words. This happens when a crowded, not-an-inch-to-spare city like Mumbai opens up a physical space for the gay community. This gives a sense of belonging to the marginalised; they feel they do not have to hide in corners. The city and its most upscale, visible places can be theirs too.

That is why it is important that more spaces are open to this community, the reason may also be commercial, the pink rupee is a rupee after all. More places mean more opportunities and more visibility.

More visibility leads to more mainstreaming. More mainstreaming means more acceptance. More acceptance means less discrimination, injustice, violence (we include verbal abuse here), and fear borne out of that.

Let Maximum City, which is a real melting pot because it celebrates differences, open its spaces, which are tangible and physical and the intangible - that is space in our hearts - to all.