Rock on a roll for gay rights
Once again the multi-hued feathers, masks and rainbows will be out on city roads as ‘Rock for Right’ concert travels to India, in support of Queer Delhi.
Being held for two consecutive years in New York, the idea of the concert is to celebrate human rights, freedom, pride and queer solidarity through rock, sufi and folk music.
“We promote human rights issues through dance, film, music and visual art festival every year. This year, we planned to take up queer rights cause to give solidarity to queer community in India. I feel that South Asia withits queer population in minority, requires support and upliftment for equality in gender rights. Delhi has been really supportive,” says Myna Mukherjee director of Engendered, a transnational arts and human rights organisation that has organised the concert along with after-party on November 27 at The Lalit in collaboration with Queer Delhi.
The concert will bring together Indian and Pakistani music artistes including Rekha Bhardwaj, Papon, Zeb & Haniya, Alisha Batth and DJ Ma Faiza, among others. Ma Faiza, electronic DJ and a proud queer says, “Times for queer community are changing in India but there’s a long way to go. India should shed conservative notions and more parental support should be given to a queer child. Music has been an incredible means of activism.”
While many Indian actors have supported this concert in New York, in Delhi only actor director Onir of My Brother Nikhil has shown his support for the concert. “A music concert is a great way to reach out to the Indian youth. Everyone has the right to live the way they want. But I still feel that a lot needs to be done to mobilise awareness and support for the LGBT. People who value human rights should come forward to be part of this concert,” sums up Onir.
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