Rainbow Habba dialogue in progress. (Supplied)
Accompanied by music and dance, around 250 Gender and Sexual Minority (GSM) community members and supporters celebrated Rainbow Habba to commemorate the 52nd Stonewall Riots Day at Maharashtra Mandal Hall on Wednesday, June 28, in Bengaluru.
Renowned theatre personality and actor Arundhati Nag, former Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Gowda, farmers’ leader Veera Sangaiah of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, senior advocate BT Venkatesh, and Sangama Executive Director Rajesh Srinivas were present at the occasion.
The event was organised by Sangama, a Bengaluru-based NGO that focuses on the well-being of the transgender community in Karnataka.
Many members of the LGBTQIA+ community staged cultural performances and used the platform to raise awareness and urge acceptance.
22-year-old Janu performing Jogati Nritya, a traditional folk dance of the trans community. (Deeksha Devadiga)
Janu, a 22-year-old trans person, performed a traditional folk dance. Speaking to South First, Janu said, “Jogati Nritya is a traditional artform that is significant in the Hijra culture. I have been practising the artform for the past year. I am grateful to Sangama for providing me with a platform to showcase it to everyone.”
The educated population is aware of the community, but there is a need to create awareness among the rural and uneducated, Janu added.
Janu rued, “My family hasn’t accepted me because of a lack of awareness.” These programmes are small steps towards awareness and acceptance, Janu asserted.
Trans people, who had availed of jobs in the 1 percent horizontal reservation in the government sector, were felicitated at the event.
Some of the members who enlisted the demands of the community included Chandini (Payana NGO, Bengaluru), Dil Faraz (Samara, Bengaluru), Megha Malnad (Chikkamagaluru), and Kiran Naik (Chikkaballapur).
Three mothers of trans people were felicitated for supporting their children. (Deeksha Devadiga)
The highlight of the event was the felicitation of three mothers who had accepted their transgender children and stood by them.
In her felicitation speech, Munitayamma, mother of Veena — a transwoman and a member of Sangama — said, “People came up to me and threatened to hurt my child for acting feminine during his childhood. I decided to stand up for my child because boy or girl, I birthed him.”
“I needed to stand with him against everyone. Veena is my daughter and I am proud of her, and the life she has created for herself.”
Felicitation of BT Venkatesh (Deeksha Devadiga)
Siddava from Kudachi, Belagavi, and Banothu Tulasi from Warangal, Telangana, were felicitated for supporting their children among transcending socio-cultural barriers. Senior Advocate BT Venkatesh was applauded for his immense contribution to the movement.
A dialogue was organised between gender and sexual minority activists and progressive social activists.
Writer Ishrat Nisar, Dalit activist Hulikunte Murthy, feminist activist Madhu Bhushan, and Geetha of Sadhana Mahila Sangha participated in the discussion. The talk was chaired by Manohar Elavarthi, a socio-political activist and founder of Sangama.
Trans community members at Rainbow Habba. (Deeksha Devadiga)
Actor Arundhati Nag expressed her delight to be associated with the event and extended her support to the trans community.
Sangama’s Executive Director Rajesh Srinivas announced that Rainbow Habba will be an annual event to commemorate the Stonewall riots.
Speaking to South First, Srinivas called the event a grand success and added, “When the mothers spoke at the event, it surely touched a chord with everyone. We hope that by next year, we will have more parents who have accepted their children for who they are and who they love.”
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