Way back in December 2013, I was clueless about the Queer community and how I would be able to learn more about myself. It took a string of dates and making friends to know where open spaces exist in the city that can help me express who I am and seek help along the way. I’d like to acknowledge the people who helped me find myself. So if you're here and you're queer, here's a list of collectives that support and help the LGBTQAI+ community.
Maya The Drag Queen Talks About 5 LGBTQAI+ Pro Collectives
The information in this post might be outdated
Good As You
Good As You is an organization that provides safe space for queer people and is working on building a community space. Started in 1994, a few LGBTQAI+ activists got together and decided that it was important to have a discussion forum for sexual minorities in Bangalore. Their meetups happen every Thursday at the Swabhava office, and you’ll find activities ranging from discussions and film screenings to poetry readings.
Sangama
Sangama is an LGBTQAI+ rights group based out of Bangalore. It has grown to focus on LGBTQAI+ rights and HIV prevention. It concentrates on the rights of sexual minorities and fights against sexual harassment and HIV discrimination. They conduct outreach programs for sexual minorities, welcome walk-ins, keep a track of LGBTQAI+ violence in and around the city and provide legal services to those who need it.
Solidarity Foundation
Registered as a trust in 2013, It was set up to provide support to sex workers and sexual minorities by offering fellowships and grants. They support working-class sexual minorities and sex workers through grantmaking and building links to resources, and community involvement. With a vibrant team backing her, Shubha Chacko leads the organization by helping in betterment of the community and provide a beautiful inclusive environment.
Queer Collective
Queer Collective India (QCI), then known as Bangalore Queer Collective was born from the need for the queer community to work both within and outside the queer community. QCI aims at bridging the gap between the Queer Community and society through the use of media art and entertainment.
All Sorts Of Queer
All Sorts of Queer is a safe space for women, womyn, non-binaries and trans-people. Being a diverse space, ASQ expects members to be respectful online as well as offline. They follow simple guidelines that help members stay inclusive, private and respectful and address fellow members by the pronouns that they prefer or identify with. It’s no wonder that they are the largest support group of this nature in South India.