Harish Iyer
I am a columnist and youtuber
Multiple Award Winning Activist. Columnist. Youtuber. Motivational Speaker. Only Indian listed in the world pride powerlist as one of the 100 most influential LGBT people in the world.
PROJECTS
firstpost.com
Kashish Queer Film Festival 2017: On opening night, compelling stories and humour
The Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is India’s most popular queer cinema event. The inauguration and the closing ceremony especially are marked with the presence of tinsel town. As a queer person myself, it is heartening to see people whose voice can make a significant impact in shaping thoughts, attend the event year after year.
The best thing about a queer event in Mumbai — whether Dirty Talk or the Kashish inauguration or any of Sushant Divgikar’s dos — is that the discuss...
firstpost.com
NJACked: Dissenting SC judge Justice Chelameshwar advises fellow judges: 'Reform that you may preserve'
“Reform that you may preserve” was the parting remark of Justice J Chelameshwar the only dissenting judge in the five-member constitutional bench which struck down the setting up of the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) for appointing judges in the higher courts.
The bench, in a majority decision (4-1) held the constitutional amendment, passed with 100 percent political unanimity in Parliament, as subversive to basic features of the constitution.
In the constitutional scheme of...
firstpost.com
Narendra Modi's Israel visit: What lies behind PM's landmark move to flaunt bilateral ties
A question that is central to Narendra Modi's landmark visit to Israel is, what has prompted the recent boldness? And under what parameters will this relationship be defined?
Though there will understandably be a lot of focus on defence ties and arms procurement when the prime minister lands in Israel on Tuesday — these ensure glossy headlines — the items on agenda point to the formal recognition of an organic, multi-dimensional growth of ties. There are also some significant political and ec...
firstpost.com
Telangana startup incubator T-Hub launches Smart Mobility and Transportation Cluster
T-Hub, a startup incubator by the Telangana government today announced the launch of Smart Mobility and Transportation Cluster at its premises in Hyderabad. According to a release issued by T-hub, in a two-pronged approach, this initiative will work towards enhancing mobility while reducing congestion, air pollution and road traffic incidents. With India fast emerging as a global leader in clean energy, the center has put forth its vision to transition to 100 per cent electric vehicles by 203...
firstpost.com
Why is being gay such a tragedy in Indian queer cinema?
Ektya Bhinti (Lonely Walls) commenced with a disturbing bout of weeping. Disturbing because after two days and several films at the Kashish Film Festival, if there was one impression that the Indian films were making upon me, it was to convince me that alternative sexuality brings with it unspeakable miseries that can be matched only by death or disease.
I don't live in a bubble in which lives of alternative sexual groups in India look as rosy as those of heroines in Sooraj Barjatya films, bu...
firstpost.com
Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Condoleezza Rice: Can the US still hope for a woman President?
It took me a while to get over the results of the US elections this year. I was watching the results with my friends at a downtown bar and the way it all ended left me angry, helpless, frustrated and completely drained of energy and hope. Yes, I know I’m not American, but what happens in America affects all of us, even if we live half way across the world. I had invested every last ounce of my hope and positive energy into Hillary Clinton.
But when it became clear that she wasn’t going to be ...
firstpost.com
Sex education takes a step in the right direction with govt's Saathiya app, resource kit
I have long criticised the government for its overtly homophobic and misogynist stance. While the prime minister has evaded the topic, we had Sushma Swaraj mentioning explicitly that homosexuality is against Indian ethos when quizzed by a journalist. This occurred when Swaraj announced amendments to the Surrogacy Bill. (Watch this video where Barkha Dutt echoes my views.)
The government also abstained from voting in the United Nation’s effort in appointing an independent expert to protect LGB...
firstpost.com
Kashish Queer Film Festival 2017: On opening night, compelling stories and humour
The Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival is India’s most popular queer cinema event. The inauguration and the closing ceremony especially are marked with the presence of tinsel town. As a queer person myself, it is heartening to see people whose voice can make a significant impact in shaping thoughts, attend the event year after year.
The best thing about a queer event in Mumbai — whether Dirty Talk or the Kashish inauguration or any of Sushant Divgikar’s dos — is that the discuss...
firstpost.com
Mahmood Farooqui case: Are there different types of 'no' that survivors of sexual assault use?
A no is a no is a no. And not every no is a verbal no.
There are different ways in which people who are attacked respond. Not every time is the response a shout, kick, or punch. Sometimes these voices are internal, the shout is internal — you scream aloud in your mind and the sound waves travel inside your body, you feel an intense pain in your larynx, but no voice comes out. How do I know? Because I was raped for 11 years of my childhood.
Every no should be considered strident enough. Photo ...
firstpost.com
How to build a queer city: Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru could take a cue from mid-19th century Berlin
Editor's note: Beginning 15 October 2017, we're running a series called 'By Design' that looks at Indian cities from the perspective of urban design. How can design make the quality of life in India cities better? How can the architecture of our infrastructure prevent life-threatening situations like flooding, or rush-hour stampedes? What solutions can simple design changes offer to monumental urban problems? We'll be discussing all this and more, in 'By Design'.
An uptight nation that gets i...
firstpost.com
A Valentine's Day open letter to my HIV positive friend: Love yourself more
Editor's note: In this series titled 'Letter to the Subalterns' noted rights activist Harish Iyer reaches out to marginalised, oppressed groups and individuals. On this Valentine's Day, he writes a letter to his HIV positive single friend.
Dear Friend,
I remember having met you a couple of years back. You were at a government hospital, waiting for your results. Your heart was beating harder than the first time we “rolled over the hay”, almost a decade before this date. I mean, our hearts beat...
firstpost.com
Letter to the Subalterns: To everyone who has the courage to come out as bisexual
Editor's note: In this series titled 'Letter to the Subalterns' equal rights activist Harish Iyer reaches out to marginalised, oppressed groups and individuals.
Dear Koninika,
I am writing to tell you that I am in awe of you. Coming out as a bisexual woman has its unique set of challenges — in a world that is deeply prejudiced towards bisexuals. I can claim to empathise, but I wonder if anyone can ever truly understand what another goes through — especially when the person is of another gende...
firstpost.com
Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Condoleezza Rice: Can the US still hope for a woman President?
It took me a while to get over the results of the US elections this year. I was watching the results with my friends at a downtown bar and the way it all ended left me angry, helpless, frustrated and completely drained of energy and hope. Yes, I know I’m not American, but what happens in America affects all of us, even if we live half way across the world. I had invested every last ounce of my hope and positive energy into Hillary Clinton.
But when it became clear that she wasn’t going to be ...
firstpost.com
Sex education takes a step in the right direction with govt's Saathiya app, resource kit
I have long criticised the government for its overtly homophobic and misogynist stance. While the prime minister has evaded the topic, we had Sushma Swaraj mentioning explicitly that homosexuality is against Indian ethos when quizzed by a journalist. This occurred when Swaraj announced amendments to the Surrogacy Bill. (Watch this video where Barkha Dutt echoes my views.)
The government also abstained from voting in the United Nation’s effort in appointing an independent expert to protect LGB...
firstpost.com
Mahmood Farooqui case: Are there different types of 'no' that survivors of sexual assault use?
A no is a no is a no. And not every no is a verbal no.
There are different ways in which people who are attacked respond. Not every time is the response a shout, kick, or punch. Sometimes these voices are internal, the shout is internal — you scream aloud in your mind and the sound waves travel inside your body, you feel an intense pain in your larynx, but no voice comes out. How do I know? Because I was raped for 11 years of my childhood.
Every no should be considered strident enough. Photo ...