ARE YOU AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER?
This year, Mumbai celebrates the 4th Queer Azaadi March (the Queer Pride of Mumbai) Year after year, there has been an upsurge in the crowd.
‘Queer’ stands for all LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) as well as for Hijra, Kothi, Panthi individuals. This is a sexual minority group not accepted by Indian society that recognizes only two genders and considers only heterosexual relationships valid. Queer Azaadi March is an expression, a voice, a celebration and a platform to ask for equal rights of these individuals conducted in form an annual parade in Mumbai.
The first pride, if I remember correctly, had many people marching with masks, and many more shying away from prying cameras just to escape the minutest probability of being caught on camera. Year after year, layer after layer, the masks came off and people started marching out and about. An interesting point to note is the uprising of the Pink Rupee. Just as people started coming out of their closet, there were companies that focused on the queer market came up and created quite a flutter in the market space. Also, companies like Google and IBM have set the sail by being an “Equal Opportunities Employer”. I feel this pride is an excellent opportunity for India Inc to project itself as a liberal group just as google , IBM and others do globally.
All you need to do is carry a banner that says something like
“ WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPURTUNITY EMPLOYER.
Gender – Sexuality: No Bar.
The only measure is excellence.”
(… Or your own version of it)
Besides doing good for the community, it leverages the brand image of the participating entity and puts it in a prominent place in the global map.
Join us!
The Queer Azaadi Mumbai Pride Parade is scheduled to be flagged off from August Kranti Maidaan on Saturday 28 Jan 2012 from 3 pm.
For further details, please visit www.queerazaadi.wordpress.com or feel free to call
Me, Harish Iyer @ 09833100340 or
Praful Baweja @ 09870213831
Sibi Mathen @ 09867397744
In case you didn’t notice last year: http://www.flickr.com/photos/firozeshakir/5400833795/in/set-72157625930959432/
Wish you all the very best I have decided not to shoot the Queer Azadi March this year..
I think you guys should reach out to corporates much in advance about this, instead of posting this on Jan 25, three days before the parade. I took my organization (Google), to the Bangalore Pride Parade last year, which was a contingent of around 40 of us. We needed at least three weeks to form a contingent, plan the logistics, and eventually participate in the event.
Corporates are dying to participate, they just need advance notice
I hope we can get a huge contingent of Gaylglers (Gay+Googlers, as we call ourselves) and allies for the parade next year! Of course, if there are additional ways and means of getting involved, please feel free to reach out to us 