Migmg news
IIT Bombay will hold its first Queer Festival next week. Organized by Saathi Club, IIT’s LGBTQ+ resource group, Rangavali will be a two-day celebration aimed at creating awareness about LGBTQ+ rights and highlighting the need for sensitization towards people of all genders and orientations.
The festival, which begins on March 25, will include activities to raise awareness and sensitize the LGBTQ+ community.
According to organizers, the festival will include sessions and talks on diversity and inclusion along with panel discussions and interactions with LGBTQ activists. There will also be an LGBTQ quiz and a queer ramp walk. While films will be screened, students will be provided a platform to showcase their talents.
The IIT Bombay administration is sponsoring the first session of Rangavali, which the club hopes to make an annual inter-collegiate event on the lines of Mood Indigo and Techfest, its annual cultural and technology festivals, respectively. This year, colleges from all over Mumbai have been invited along with several IITs.
Prof. IIT Bombay also appreciates it. It was already a pioneer as it was one of the first IITs to establish a resource group for the LGBTQ+ community.”
Mujumdar added that IIT’s gender cell is also collaborating with Saati to ensure a broader perspective of inclusivity and diversity.
Vishwanath Phalegaonkar, PhD from IIT, who is also one of the coordinators of the Saathi Club, said, “The idea is also to remove the stigma. So many students struggle with their identity. It is very difficult for them to express their feelings and they start to distance themselves. Sometimes they are subjected to bullying or harassment on campus.”
The festival will conclude with a Pride March on campus. “We also plan to encourage the IIT administration to create a position of dean for diversity and inclusion to ensure more efforts to create a safe atmosphere for all diversities,” he said.
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