Queers Ki Kahani 2.0: Celebrating Queer Stories and Activism in Arunachal Pradesh
This time, the event was exclusively for the queer community, aiming to offer a secure environment free from fear or skepticism.
Queers Ki Kahani 2.0: After a highly successful queer storytelling event in 2022 organized by AP QueerStation, the sole queer support group in Arunachal Pradesh, the event ‘Queers Ki Kahani 2.0’ returned on Saturday, 25 May 2024, drawing a significant turnout of LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Participants traveled not only from the Capital area but also from districts like Lower Subansiri, Tirap, West Siang, and beyond. This time, the event was exclusively for the queer community, aiming to offer a secure environment free from fear or skepticism.
Click here to Join our WhatsApp Channel
A total of 35 queer individuals, representing almost all spectrums of the LGBTQ+ community, participated in the event. It featured personal stories of struggle, self-discovery, childhood trauma, confusing experiences, bullying, and inspiring tales of happiness.
The event was held in collaboration with the café ‘Central Perk’ in Naharlagun. The café owner, Nabam Esther, expressed that it was a pleasure to host such a wonderful and warm group of people at their café. Esther emphasized the importance of more events like this, not only to support the LGBTQIAP+ community but also to promote general awareness of their issues and rights. The staff at Central Perk are all very queer-friendly and supportive of the community.
One storyteller, Ruth, traveled from Aalo, West Siang, to share her journey of discovering her queer identity. She recounted the difficulties she faced in identifying as a lesbian woman due to the over-sexualization of the term “lesbian” in media and society. It took her a long time to openly accept her identity, highlighting the importance of media sensitization on queer topics and the negative impact of over-sexualizing LGBTQ+ themes.
Also Read- AP QueerStation celebrates Pride Month
Another storyteller, Tom, from Itanagar discussed his experience of coming out to his family members and plans to come out to his parents. He shared the challenges and positive experiences he has had as a gay person, emphasizing that, despite the difficulties, he does not see his story as sad but rather a testament to his resilience.
A student from RGU, Doimukh who preferred to remain anonymous, spoke about the daily bullying and humiliation he faces for being gay. He called for more awareness and sensitization programs about gender and sexual minorities in educational sectors.
AP QueerStation founder Sawang Wangchha emphasized the importance of queer activism in Arunachal Pradesh, urging attendees to stand up against taboo, discrimination, and injustice. He stressed the need for more queer activists in the state.
Itanagar: AP Queer Station conducts ‘Queers ki Kahani’
Wangchha highlighted that in over 60 countries, LGBTQIA+ individuals face legal challenges, with severe penalties, including life imprisonment and death in some cases. He called for the global queer community to unite and fight against these injustices. He also requested all queer people in Arunachal to support the initiatives by AP QueerStation, believing that mutual support and solidarity are essential for keeping the community safe and strong.
