The Queer & Ally Network organised their first ever event, a screening of “Fire”, an Indian film about queer romance directed by Deepa Mehta, at Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT) on Sunday.
The Queer & Ally Network was formed earlier this month at Manipal’s first ever Ally March in support of the LGBTQ+ community. The network aims to turn Manipal into a queer-friendly space and sensitise the campus about LGBTQ+ persons.
The first event in the attempt of sensitising the campus towards the LGBTQ+ community was a screening of “Fire”, a film about queer romance starring Nandita Das and Shabana Azmi. “Fire” was passed uncut by the Indian censor board in 1998 but courted controversy when fringe groups across the country stormed theatres screening the film. The film earned rave reviews for its gutsy portrayal of homosexual relationships.
Students slowly filled up the New Lecture Hall classroom, used as the venue for the event on Sunday evening. They were also asked to write about stereotypes that affected them. Girls were asked to write on blue post it notes while boys were asked to write on pink ones.
The launch of the network signifies the first steps taken to provide the LGBTQ+ community in Manipal a forum to discuss all things LGBTQ+. The network aims to conduct more events in the hope of turning Manipal into a queer-friendly space.
With inputs from Sruti Srinivasan
Photographs Courtesy: Niharika Nayak
*LGBTQ+ is an umbrella term to describe lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender people, intersex people, asexual people, several other queer groups and allies.
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