Every year, the students of St Joseph’s College (Autonomous) conduct an intra-collegiate fest, called Prathibha. But the 2019 edition is a special one. This year, the college has come out in support of the LGBTQIA+ community, commemorating the first anniversary of the landmark Section 377 Supreme Court verdict. “Most of our fests have a social cause attached to it. And since this year,
Prathibha
coincides with the day when the iconic judgement was passed last year, we thought it would be the perfect way to express our support towards the cause,” says Bindushree — General Secretary of the Student Council that organises the fest annually.
The event, which will begin next week and culminate on September 6 — the day of the verdict, will see students celebrating the rainbow colours. “From August 26 to 31, we will have auditions for the cultural events, alongside pride celebrations,” says Bindushree, adding, “The college has always supported the cause. We also have neutral-gender washrooms on campus. We wanted to reach out to the students and promote the idea of social inclusivity. We want students from the community to feel free, and want others to accept them with open arms.”
Adding to that, Kiran Jeevan — Professor and Staff Coordinator at the college — says the idea behind the theme is to create awareness among students that everyone is equal. “We should learn to treat everyone equally, and with respect. We are living in times when people are more divided in opinion than they are united. Thus, it becomes relevant to promote the concept of oneness among youngsters,” says Kiran, adding that the fest hopes to be a celebration of diversity at the college.
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