With the world celebrating Pride Month, here are five organizations you can support and become an ally of!
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Naz Foundation
The Naz Foundation was established in 1994 to raise awareness about sexual health and sexuality. Its mission remains to build vibrant ecosystems that energize, expand, and engage members of the LGBTQ community by transforming them from socially and economically excluded communities into agents of change.
Humsafar Trust
The trust proudly goes by the words ‘your identity is a reason for pride, not a reason to hide.’ It started back in April 1994 to help LGBTQ+ communities in Mumbai. They now run workshops for media persons, politicians, and legislators, to name a few, and sensitize them on issues faced by the queer community.
Nazariya
It is a queer feminist resource group founded in 2014 which has been relentlessly helping queer women and trans persons. They believe that all queer persons have the right to equality and have also been sensitizing people about gender-based issues and health from a queer perspective through research & evaluations, capacity building, and advocacy.
Sangama
Founded in 1999, Sangama is a Bangalore-based organization that advocates for the human rights of sexual minorities, sex workers, and those people who are living with HIV. The organization provides information, awareness, and support to members of the queer community, kothis, hijras, and other transgender people, particularly those belonging to Bangalore’s poor and non-English speaking backgrounds.
Harmless Hugs
Once started as a secret online group is now a full-blown community with more than eight thousand members (and counting!). It empowers feminist groups as well as the members of the LGTBQ+ community. It focuses on community building by taking initiatives and organizing workshops like Queer Holi, Film Festival, and Delhi Queer Theatre.
Keshav Suri Foundation
Founded in 2018, the foundation has been vocal in highlighting the issues faced by the queer community. The foundation’s motto is to embrace and empower the community while building a discrimination-free platform, enabling members to share their stories and stigmas – physical, emotional, or mental.
Let’s celebrate Pride Month this year by contributing as much as we can, all by staying safe at home. Comment and let us know about more LGBTQ+ initiatives.
Submitted by Dhanya Chawla