Over the rainbow

Be part of a mentorship programmeIkigai NGO India from Kolkata is sponsoring a Peer Mentoring Programme that aims at providing support to students seeking guidance from a peer in the LGBTQIA community Through this programme the organisation is aiming to help students develop gender identity and a positive sexual orientation The mentors will provide a safe space for students and allow them to open a communication channel that will let them ask questions learn and grow Based on their challenges the mentees will be paired with peers who have had similar life experiences to help them communicate bettergtgtgtWHERE ikigaingoindia on InstagramKeep it lightIndulge in a lighthearted evening as Navin Noronha hosts an allinclusive queerrated comedy open mic If you are part of the LGBTQIA community you can share your stories and jokes with the world toogtgtgtWHERE ZoomWHEN June 27 930PMPRICE Rs 199TO REGISTER inbookmyshowcomParticipate in a queer festTo celebrate and support the LGBTQIA community Instagram has announced a partnership with The Queer Muslim Project to present the second edition of the Digital Pride Festival The festival will consist of five segments including creator panels performances panels on online safety mental health and a masterclass on new tools of expression such as Reels Some of the speakers include ace filmmaker Zoya Akhtar illustrator and designer Sonaksha creators Roshini Kumar and Durga GawdegtgtgtWHERE Instagram Live and ZoomWHEN June 11 to June 27TO REGISTER thequeermuslimprojectPride with hopeThe Humsafar Trust has curated a series of events around the theme PridewithHope These include panel discussions on the vaccine an Instagram Live session with Indiarsquos first transwoman photojournalist Zoya Lobo and a threeday queer film festivalgtgtgtWHERE Instagram Live on humsafartrust and ZoomWHEN June 6 to June 20 5 PM onwardsTO REGISTER tinyurlcomPrideWithHopeAlso Read How Mumbairsquos LGBTQI community reacted to The Vaticans samesex marriage stanceDonrsquot miss game nightLGBTQIA India which helps members from the community socialise with each other has organised a string of pride month events which include a queer movie night karaoke game night book reading and much moregtgtgtWHERE DiscordWHEN June 6 to June 30 10 PM onwardsTO REGISTER lgbtqindiadiscordlinkA podcast to educateRed FM has launched LGBT KYUN a show hosted by Manvendra Singh Gohil on Red FM Podcasts to address issues educate and raise awareness around the LGBTQIA community Gohil is the first openly gay prince in the world and the podcast will have him speak to members of the community and personalities who have stood for queer rights about their lives struggles and hopesgtgtgtWHERE Red FM India AppWHEN June 4 onwardsDigital desi prideThe Gay Gaze Bombay and Queer Art Exchange are putting together a lineup of events that cover all things art wellness and culture Some of the key events that are a mustattend include a workshop with Durga Gawde the countryrsquos first drag king where the attendees can learn about selflove in the life of a queer person Therersquos also a beauty workshop by Toshada Uma who will talk about how to express yourself through social media content and get the best possible resultsgtgtgtWHERE BrambleliveWHEN All through JunePRICE Rs 400 onwardsTO REGISTER visit wwwlinktreeGayGazeConversation startersYes We Exist India will be conducting Instagram Live sessions that offer an engaging list of relevant and urgent topics that reflect the current challenges faced by the LGBTQIA community especially due to the pandemic Their plan is to hear audience stories for 40 minutes during these sessions and dedicate the remaining 20 minutes to hear from experts The topics include how do I deal with loneliness how do I make friends within the community how do I start and sustain an LGBTQIA club in college how do I look after my mental health if I cannot afford therapygtgtgtWHERE Instagram Live on yesweexistindiaWHEN Saturdays 9PMFor Covid supportNazariya a Delhibased queer feminist resource group has been raising issues related to queer and trans persons since 2014 Over the last few months theyrsquove also been offering COVIDsupport to members of the community Based on the needs of the person they help with oxygen home care meals and even hospital expenses in certain cases CALL 9999977272Follow these artistsReya Ahmedartofreya InstagramThis visual artist explores feminism queer identity and her experiences of growing up in a BengaliMuslim household through illustration animation architectural and editorial design Her creations are focused on women navigating spaces within the urban fabric and dealing with societal binaries and heteronormative rituals The subversion of a religious gaze on gender is quite prominent in her work Harjyot Khalsawhirlwnd InstagramKhalsa sometimes draws in between work tasks reflects the fluidity that characterises ber artwork Khalsa loves to celebrate friendships that transcend the need to fit into traditional boxes Being an illustrator she gets to draw things that her brain spends a lot of time thinking about in jazzy colours that she loves It also gives her the chance to gradually shift the culture towards inclusivity and visibilityAlso Read Must Watch Queer Holiday Movies