A big thank you from the Pink Singers to all our speakers at yesterday’s Queer India Today seminar.
Unfortunately, we ran out of time for a proper question and answer session, however all our speakers have kindly agreed to address your questions over on the discussion on the event page.
If you would prefer to post anonymously, please feel free to email hsien.chew@pinksingers.co.uk and he will gladly post the question on your behalf. Head on over and let’s talk! Click here to join the discussion.
A reminder of the speakers and subjects:
J Daniel Luther
‘Being Gay in the times of Section 377: India and the de/re-criminalisation of Same-sex desire’ – This talk will trace the recent developments in the legal struggle against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, highlighting the key issues facing men who identify as Gay in contemporary India in the context of the recent re-criminalisation.
J Daniel Luther is a Doctoral Researcher at the Department of South Asia in SOAS, University of London. Their Ph.D research focuses on tracing the History of Normativity in India through Indian literature and popular film. They are one of the co-organisers of the recently concluded Queer Asia 2016 Conference held at SOAS.
Jacquelyn Strey‘Women’s Pride? Women’s voices and experiences’ – This talk will cover the particular issues faced by lesbian and other queer women in contemporary India followed by a brief discussion of the Queer Azaadi Mumbai Pride parade in Mumbai.
Jacquelyn is a PhD candidate in the Centre for Gender Studies at SOAS in London. Her work focuses on the everyday lives of queer women in India and uses queer theory as her main lens of analysis. Jacquelyn lives in London with her partner, Darren, and their dog Hugo.
Jennifer Ung Loh‘Negotiating the “T” in LGBT: positioning “transgender” identity in contemporary India’ –This talk will consider hijra, kinnar, and transgender identity,particularly investigating male-to-female ‘transgender’ identity in modern India by looking at identities and roles among the hijra community and current legal judgments concerning ‘transgender’ identity.
Jennifer Ung Loh is currently a Research Associate at the South Asia Institute, SOAS, University of London. Awarded her PhD in May 2014, Jennifer’s research is on constructions of gender and sexuality in contemporary South Asia, specifically investigating hijra and kinnar (‘transgender’) identity.
Vinodh Philip‘Rainbow Voices Mumbai: making music in 377 India’ – Rainbow Voices Mumbai is India’s first LGBT choir. This talk will explain how the choir was formed (as part of his personal coming out story), and why, in the context of the fight against 377,prejudices and stereotypes in India, it tries to exist and make a statement. It will also focus on how Rainbow Voices Mumbai provides a safe space for its choristers.
Vinodh Philip is a founder member of Rainbow Voices Mumbai, India’s first LGBT choir. Vinodh has recently moved to Paris from Mumbai and is making it his home. He now works in Corporate Communications for a French multi-national company. He loves to sing, feels passionate about the environment, equal rights and breaking stereotypes about the LGBTI community.