Rainbow Guru: I am looking for help to find a trusted NGO in Pune

Hi Sushant,
I am a person whose sex is male but gender female which means I’m a female transgender. However, to the world I’m still a boy and I live as a boy for now. I haven’t come out to my family as yet. I appreciate the example you are setting for the LGBTQIA+ community by living your life to the fullest. I’m sure this brings the best people and friends into your life. I am looking for help to find a trusted NGO in Pune. I want to get in touch with them so that I can surround myself with more accepting people. I’d also love to participate in activities to support more people from the community.
— Ms Happy to Help

Hello, hello my darling trans sister,

Thank you so much for the beautiful words you have used for me but honestly, I’m really not doing anything extraordinary. It’s essential that each and every one of us look out for our fellow pink brothers and sisters.

I think my friends and family members would have loved me regardless of my orientation, and I think that is secretly and passively the case with even families that overtly shun their LGBT children for being L, G, B or T. I think they secretly want to hug them and shower them with kisses but are scared because log kya kahenge! My reaction to that is usually arrrey log KYA kahenGAY aur kitna kahenGAY?

It is all very simple. Unconditional love is the answer to all these idiosyncratic ambiguities that we tie ourselves down with.

To answer your first question, let me present to you one of Pune’s most sincere and efficient LGBTQIA+ support groups, headed by the dynamic Bindumadhav Khire and his team at Samapathik Trust. The Trust has been around for quite a few years and has spearheaded pride marches and many other LGBTQIA+ events in and around Pune. You can follow their Facebook page for details or directly message Khire. I am sure you will receive all the help and counselling you are looking for.

Now, onward to the excellent news I have for you! My very dear friend Reena Rai, who is a straight ally of the LGBTQIA+ community from Delhi, is organising a beauty pageant for transwomen under her company Dream Catchers. She was especially motivated to organise this pageant when she attended an event organised by Alliance India which was hosted by transactivist, Abheena Aher. You could get in touch with Reena by writing to her directly and enrol yourself for the pageant. You never know, you could be our next Anjali Lama!

Whenever you are in Mumbai, you can drop in at Humsafar Trust and say hello to our LGBTQIA+ family here. You could maybe get an idea as to how you can be more involved with activities organised by the community. You should also attend the Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival that will be held in Mumbai from May 24 to 28, 2017.

Baap re! I have prepared quite the LGBTQIA+ itinerary for you. Go ahead and enjoy yourself at these events and the above mentioned people will certainly help you.

Lotsa love.

(Mr Gay India 2014, Sushant Divgikar is your counsellor, guide and conscience through the waters of sexuality)

SPEAK UP

Write to him at sexualitydna@gmail.com