Movies, mela and march: Celebrate Pride with these exciting events in Mumbai

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Marching through queer history

Get ready to celebrate the history and essence of Pride month with a queer walking tour organised by No Footprints. From visiting the Bahuchar Maa (goddess worshipped by the transgender community) temple to having lunch at a 19th-century queer hub, this tour will walk you through the community's history.
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Dates variable
PRICE: Rs 16,000
TO BOOK: nofootprints.com

Job fair frenzy

Be who you are, even at the workplace! That's right. Humsafar trust organises another movement, SAKSHAM, a LGBTQ+ community led job fair. This initiative allows the individual to fit right in the field of choice, encouraging diversity and equality.

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Where: Hotel Holiday Inn
When: June 28, 10.30 AM onwards
To Book: https://humsafar.org/

They shine even brighter

Satrangi mela is back with their all-day festival, Pride, that encourages small businesses through their flea markets, builds a community, which is followed by fabulous performances.
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Where: antiSocial, Lower Parel
When: June 17, 4 PM onwards
To book: insider.in

An evening filled with poetry

Celebrate literature through the Queer community's voice with a specially curated open mic by the Bombay Closet Cleanse. With over three minutes dias time for each performer, this open mic will bring to you an array of rich linguistic and artistic acts.
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WHEN: June 22
WHERE: Bombay Closet Cleanse, Versova
TO BOOK: insider.in

Watch, celebrate and love

Filmybees Cine Club is bringing you Colors of Love, an International Queer Film festival that touches upon queer films and artists. The festival will showcase the diversity and talent of
queer cinema.
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WHEN: June 22- June 23
WHERE: Creative Adda, Versova
PRICE: Rs 100 onwards
TO BOOK: insider.in

Meet a person with a skill you can use

Aryan Somaiya Psychotherapist - relational psychodynamic therapy
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Available for: In-person and online sessions
Cost: Rs 2,000
Contact: 8097559485
www.guftagutherapy.in

If you've been hurt a lot, it can sometimes become difficult to even trust your therapist, so it's important for the counsellor to provide a safe space where trust can be built again, says Aryan Somaiya, a psychotherapist who provides queer- and trans-affirmative counselling. As a transman, Somaiya is uniquely qualified to help members of the community. "I am one of a handful of trans therapists in India… Our philosophy is that the divide between queer/trans and straight people is a false one. We are all wounded and in pain, just affected in different ways. If we go beyond scarcity [mindset], from a generative space we can have shared solidarity, compassion and collective solutions," he says. With seven years of experience, Somaiya exclusively counsels clients from the LGBTQ community in online and in-person sessions at Guftagu Therapy in Vashi,
Navi Mumbai.

RECOMMENDED BY: Madan K. "Aryan listens to everything I have to say. When necessary, he brings me back to the topic we were discussing. Sessions with him have left me feeling safe and at peace. There is also an aspect of relatability when expressing queer experiences. I find sessions with Aryan comforting."