BEGIN:VCALENDAR METHOD:PUBLISH PRODID:-//173.208.49.167//NONSGML iCalcreator 2.6// VERSION:2.0 X-WR-CALNAME:Fridae Agenda (4439) X-WR-CALDESC:Fridae Agenda (4439) X-WR-TIMEZONE:Asia/Singapore BEGIN:VEVENT UID:20260524T065545CEST-6743ZfFT4x@173.208.49.167 DTSTAMP:20260524T045545Z DESCRIPTION:https://www.fridae.asia/sc/agenda/4439\n\nNirangal: Queer Perfo rmances and Art Contest\, Besant Nagar\, Sat-Sun June 19-20. Shakthi Resou rce Center and MP/Orinam.net \n\nLGBT groups have historically used cultur al performance\, fine arts and literature as a means for articulating thei r vision\, rights\, aspirations and apprehensions\, and for drawing attent ion to the universality of the human experience. Whether through queering traditional forms or forging new and hybrid forms of the arts\, cultural p ractitioners from the LGBT communities embody a diversity of expression an d performance.\n\nDespite recent successes in the LGBT movement in India\, such as the Delhi High Court decision of 2009 that decriminalized consens ual sexual expression among adults of the same sex\, an increasingly conse rvative section of the mainstream public tends to view alternate sexualiti es and genders as alien to Indian culture and as products of Western influ ence. A strong element of the backlash to the Naz decision comes from self -proclaimed upholders of Indian tradition who use their prejudices to feed the anxieties of India’s growing middle-class and proclaim the alleged cultural inappropriateness of discussing or according rights to LGBT peopl e.\n\nNirangal aims to challenge these homophobic-xenophobic notions of al ternate sexuality and genders by showcasing a variety of LGBT artists and their performance work through a two-day event on the weekend of June 19-2 0\, 2010. It is second annual event of its kind\, and is part of a large r series of Chennai Rainbow Pride month events that aim to raise the visib ility of lesbian\, gay\, bi and transgender people (LGBT) and issues in th e city.\n\nThe event will be inaugurated by well-known Tamil film and thea tre actor\, Rohini.\n\nPerformers:\n\nViduthalai Kalai Kuzhu is a dance an d music troupe formed by underprivileged transgender women working with Sa hodari Foundation. Kalki’s long cherished dream of an all-transwomen per formance group has become a reality\, thanks to a lot of hard work on thei r part and support from the Directorate of Social Welfare\, Government of Tamil Nadu. Performing in the Republic Day Parade in Chennai was a recent highpoint in Viduthalai Kalai Kuzhu’s work.\n\nSahodaran\, founded in 19 98\, is one of the oldest and most successful male sexual health projects in Chennai. Its vibrant performing group\, Sahodaran uses dance\, music an d theater to raise awareness of health needs and human rights of Men who h ave Sex with Men (MSM)\n\nJ Taejha Susheel is a visible and vocal member o f the LGBT community in Chennai. He is a trained Bharatanatyam performer a nd choreographer and is currently pursuing a Masters degree in Polymer Tec hnology at Anna University\, Chennai.\n\nLotus is one of the few groups wo rking with MSM in rural and semi-urban spaces\, that is entirely community -owned and managed. With a recent grant from the World Bank\, Lotus has de veloped a theatre\nprogram in and around its base in Tamil Nadu. The progr am uses cultural performance to change stigmatizing and discriminatory att itudes towards MSM and transgender persons. The program has successfully s ensitized local self-governing bodies (Panchayati Raj institutions) on iss ues of alternate gender and sexuality. It has motivated Panchayat leaders to ensure lives free of harassment for the local MSM and TG populations\, and provide non-legal avenues for them to seek redressal when faced with h arassment or violence\, in the focal villages of Tanjavur and Tiruvarur di stricts in Tamil Nadu.\n\nSumathi is a queer activist and a trained Hindus tani vocalist based in Bangalore. She has travelled and performed widely. One of her recent productions\, Sanchari (2009)\, a play that tells the st ory of raga\nKalyani\, was performed to critical acclaim before audiences in Chennai and Bangalore.\n\nL. Ramakrishnan is a trained Carnatic veena a rtist based in Chennai. He has helped start up such collectives as Trikone -Tejas (Austin\, Texas) and the Orinam.net portal\,and is also involved in training\, research and advocacy in public health and HIV/AIDS.\n\nKanavi n Kuzhanthaikal (Dream’s Children) is a new theatre group that brings to gether Srijith Sundaram (theatre activist)\, Sankari (Sangama\, Chennai)\, Shakthi Nataraj and Aniruddhan Vasudevan (The Shakti\nResource Center) to present a new theatre work based on contemporary Tamil poetry.\n\nArt Con test: Express yourself with painting\, kolam and sketches on June 19\, 03: 00 pm onwards. Charcoal\, paint and other supplies will be available to yo u at the venue. The results will be on display through the weekend.\n\nOrg anizers:\n\nThe Shakti Resource Center is a non-profit organization workin g towards creating new models of engaging with gender and sexuality. Shakt i’s current work is towards setting up support services for LGBT\npeople \, and a resource center for gender\, sexuality\, sexual health and reprod uctive health and rights.\n\nOrinam.net is a bilingual resource website (T amil and English) with information on alternate sexualities and genders. I t is a non-profit resource created and maintained by members of MP\, a sup port group for\nLGBT people connected to Chennai that was established in 2 003. Do visit www.orinam.net and support our Campaign for Open Minds!\n\nC ontact:\nAniruddhan Vasudevan: 9884017695 | aniruddh.vasudevan@gmail.com\n L Ramakrishnan: 9841476101 | LRamakrishnan.lists@gmail.com\n\nwebsite: htt p://chennaipride.orinam.net\nflyer: http://twitpic.com/1wpvpl/\n DTSTART:20100618T180000 DTEND:20100619T180000 LOCATION: SUMMARY:Nirangal (Colours): an LGBT Performance Festival END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR