Source : Times of India
LUCKNOW: From queer authors to queer writings, discussions and debates on decriminalization of homosexuality and mental health to holding workshops for the LGTBQ community on literature and writing, all this and more will be part of the first queer literature festival to be hosted by the city in November. It would be the first dedicated literature festival in South Asia.
The Awadh Queer Committee is currently working at jet speed to organise the two-day event in Lucknow which will host authors from the LGTBQ community. A website for queer writing contributors has already been set up which will be officially launched at the festival.
After successfully hosting Lucknow’s first pride walk in 2017 which received an overwhelming response, followed by the first queer film festival, the Awadh Queer Committee is all set to launch the literature festival as a regular phenomena in the city’s literary diary.
In that order, the website–talesbyqueers.com–has started to receive write-ups from the various genres of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, religion, politics, fantasy and others.
“We have made a line-up of writers from the community who will be taking the sessions, there will be different publishing houses called in and workshop for amateur writers from the community to learn about writing for fiction, films and other areas of interest. The discussions on Article 377 that criminalizes homosexuality and mental health will also be part of the festival. We will also set up a gallery for the community members to put on display their artworks and photography,” said Darvesh Singh Yadavendra, founding member of the Awadh Queer Committee.
