14 December,2016 09:19 AM IST | | Snigdha Hasan
A panel discussion will talk about how diverse art forms can provide a vital platform for LGBTQ rights and activism
An earlier performance of Queen-size
Images of a dejected LGBTQ community are still fresh in the nation's memory when in 2013, the Supreme Court overruled the Delhi High Court judgment on Section 377, and being anything but straight became a criminal offence. One of the responses to the judgment was Delhi-based choreographer Mandeep Raikhy's dance piece, Queen-size. An invitation to enter the bedroom of two men, portrayed by two dancers, Raikhy's work is a highly political one. After touring many cities including Mumbai, the journey of Queen-size will end with a panel discussion, Private Matters - Politics and Sexuality in Performance, in the city.
Parmesh Shahani
"Section 377 continues to hurt the community in India, and while it is being challenged in court, we felt that the law needs to be fought with creativity," says Parmesh Shahani, head, Godrej India Culture Lab, which is organising the discussion along with Dance Dialogues, a Mumbai-based initiative that connects dance makers and dance lovers to discuss diverse ideas.
Sonal Giani
Apart from Raikhy, the other panelists include LGBTQ âu00c2u0080u00c2u0088activist Sonal Giani from Agents of Ishq, a multi-media project about sex, love and desire, and Urmi Jadhav, co-founder of Dancing Queens, a popular transgender dance troupe.
Urmi Jadhav
Where do the public and private intersect in performance? How do artistes take their art form to a level where it becomes a cause? These are some questions the panelists will seek to address.
