The current pandemic has given us the time to look at our societies from more angles. Although a big focus of our collective efforts was the medical emergency, inequalities are growing evermore, with a huge impact on the Queer communities. This month should be one for celebrating us, the LGBTQI+ community, a space to bring awareness to the diversity that exists around the world and how can each of us contribute to cherishing this diversity.

We must bring up the conversation around LGBTQI+ movement-building in oppressive societies. For that, on June 24th from 11 AM CET, we are planning an online conversation with Ashoka Fellows who work closely with LGBTQI+ communities in Africa, Asia, and Europe.

Our speakers:

Ashoka Fellow Dede Oetomo is the founder of Gaya Nusantara, the country’s longest-standing gay rights organization, and widely considered the godfather of Indonesia’s gay rights movement.

A film producer and publicist, Ashoka Fellow John Badalu is working to reverse the cultural trend of discrimination against LGBTQI+ community in Indonesia. Using the incredibly popular medium of film, he is increasing tolerance of diversity and empowering the community.

Dr Akkai Padmashali is a transgender woman, social activist whose journey is one of courage and determination. In 2014, she founded Ondede, an organization of feminists, activists, thinkers, and academics who recognized the need to converge the interests of three movements in the country – children’s rights, women’s rights, and the rights of sexual minorities.

Rosa Almirall of Trànsit is de-pathologizing the healthcare system for trans people in Catalonia, part of Spain and showing that transgender identity is an identity that is just as valid and legitimate as any other and cannot be treated as a disease, disorder or abnormality. Trànsit allows the patient to lead their own identity process where they can determine the type of support they need psychologically and within society, giving them complete autonomy and right over their gender.