Lucknow, an increasingly progressive city will be host to a one of a kind LGBTQ literature fest on February 8 and 9. The event is the first of its kind in South Asia and it aims to celebrate literature from a host of queer authors and writers belonging to all parts of the country.
The event will be hosted by an organisation named Awadh Queer Pride along with a few other open minded NGOs. Some of the attractions of the festival include book and poetry readings, plays, cinema. Additionally, there will also be talk sessions on gender equality, discrimination and challenges faced by the queer community. The two-day event will be organized at the International Research Institute of Buddhist Studies in Gomti Nagar.
One of the most anticipated activities here will be a film on sexuality and a trans woman’s life in a metro city. Apart from that, the event will also give way to dialogues on the relationship between religion and queerness. The talks will be delivered by experts from the community to raise questions on both of the members of the society and how they deal with one another.
The founding member of the AQP, Darvesh Yadavendra and festival in charge said that the festival is unique as it focuses on LGBT community and dealing with the issues community members have to face on a daily basis. With the event, they wish to bring people together and talk not only about books, but also issues affecting the community.