Now, a lifestyle card for the LGBT community

Mumbai's queer community gets to enjoy discounts at a host of popular restaurants, spas and events, and will be armed with Pink Pages, a directory of gay-friendly essential services

Mumbai's queer community gets to enjoy discounts at a host of popular restaurants, spas and events, and will be armed with Pink Pages, a directory of gay-friendly essential services

In what is another indication of the growing power of the 'pink rupee' that refers to the market for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community, an LGBT Lifestyle Card that offers discounts at various restaurants, spas and parties is soon to hit Mumbai.

Priced at Rs 999, the card will allow between 15 per cent and 20 per cent discounts at a range of eateries, lounges, cafes, salons and lifestyle stores, including popular establishments like Zenzi, Bonobo, Goa Portuguesa, Mocha Coffee and Conversations, stores Azaad Baazar and Queer Ink (bookstore for queer literature), salons like Kromakay and party organisers Salvation Star.

Also coming up for cardholders is a personalised adaptation of yellow pages, called Pink Pages. This directory will equip them with a list of gay-friendly doctors, psychiatrists and lawyer contacts. The card will be launched on April 27, and will require an annual renewal.

Naresh Fernandes, Editor of Time Out Mumbai, the magazine behind the card, says, "The card offers discounts at most LGBT-oriented businesses in the city.u00a0 It's a money-saver." Chayanika Shah, founder member of Lesbians and Bisexuals in Action (LABIA), a Mumbai-based group for lesbian and bisexual women, and transpersons, sees the initiative as a kind of mainstreaming that will help build awareness about the LGBT community. However, the launch of a discount card is far from being indicative of the society becoming more accepting of the community, she adds.

The pink card
Priced at Rs 999, the card will allow 15% to 20% discounts at several restaurants, lounges, cafes, salons and lifestyle stores. Also available for cardholders, will be a personalised adaptation of yellow pages, titled Pink Pages. It will equip them with a directory of gay-friendly doctors, psychiatrists, lawyers, etc. The card will be launched on April 27 and will need to be renewed on an annual basis.