Harmless Hugs: Difference between revisions

'''Harmless Hugs''' was started as an online secret LGBT group and took shape of a young collective which is working for [[LGBT rights in India]]. Harmless Hugs organised the first LGBT Flashmob in Delhi in 2015 and have been doing it every year since then.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/locality/news-tags/harmless-hugs|title=Harmless Hugs {{!}} DNA|website=dna|language=en-US|access-date=2018-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.scoopwhoop.com/news/delhis-gbtq-flashmob/#.flem94ng3|title=Here Is Delhi’s First Ever LGBT Flash Mob. Isn’t It Epic?|last=ScoopWhoop|date=2015-07-29|work=ScoopWhoop|access-date=2018-06-02|language=En}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2015/07/27/delhi-lgbt-flashmob_n_7876510.html|title=Dancing For Rights: Delhi Just Held Its First LGBTQ Flash Mob|date=2015-07-27|work=HuffPost India|access-date=2018-06-02|language=en-IN}}</ref> Harmless Hugs has also organised four editions of [[Delhi International Queer Theater and Film Festival]] (2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018).<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://dubeat.com/event/this-december-visit-the-delhi-international-queer-theatre-film-festival-2017/|title=This December, Visit the Delhi International Queer Theatre & Film Festival 2017 - DU Beat|work=DU Beat|access-date=2018-06-02|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/Making-a-differencer/article16809916.ece|title=Making a differencer|last=Yadav|first=Sidharth|date=2016-12-15|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-06-02|last2=Yadav|first2=Sidharth|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/cities/piyush-mishra-lights-up-diqtff-2016-on-day-1-1481398175.html|title=Piyush Mishra lights up DIQTFF 2016 on Day 1 - The Statesman|date=2016-12-10|work=The Statesman|access-date=2018-06-02|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/diqttf-2016-giving-a-ray-of-hope-to-those-still-in-the-closet-4421966/|title=DIQTTF 2016: Giving a ray of hope to those still in the closet|date=2016-12-11|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-06-02|language=en-US}}</ref> The 2016 edition had Piyush Mishra as chief guest and had support of [[Kunal Kapoor (actor, born 1977)|Kunal Kapoor]] and [[Kalki Koechlin|Kalki.]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-off-broadway/article/2016-Delhi-International-Theatre-Film-Festival-Kicks-Off-This-Weekend-20161205|title=2016 Delhi International Theatre & Film Festival Kicks Off This Weekend|author=BWW News Desk|work=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=2018-06-02|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.vagabomb.com/Our-Films-Propagate-Horrible-Stereotypes-about-the-LGBT-Community-Kunal-Kapoor/|title=Our Films Propagate Horrible Stereotypes about the LGBT Community: Kunal Kapoor|last=VagaBomb|date=2016-11-05|work=VagaBomb|access-date=2018-06-02|language=En}}</ref> Apart from this, the collective organises regular meet ups, informative sessions and plays (in collaboration with Asmita Theatre Group led by [[Arvind Gaur]]) to spread awareness about the LGBT rights in India and sensitise the society about the community. Harmless Hugs also launched an anthology of short stories around queer lives in 2016 which was launched by [[Piyush Mishra]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/Making-a-differencer/article16809916.ece|title=Making a differencer|last=Yadav|first=Sidharth|date=2016-12-15|work=The Hindu|access-date=2018-06-02|last2=Yadav|first2=Sidharth|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://dubeat.com/2017/09/book-review-harmless-hugs/|title=Book Review: Harmless Hugs - DU Beat|date=2017-09-24|work=DU Beat|access-date=2018-06-02|language=en-US}}</ref> Presently, the collective is managed by [[Aditya Bandopadhyay|Aditya Bondyopadhyay]], Naman Verma, Kanav Sahgal, and Rishu Kapur. The collective was founded by Vinay Kumar on 10 September 2012.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/off-off-broadway/article/2016-Delhi-International-Theatre-Film-Festival-Kicks-Off-This-Weekend-20161205|title=2016 Delhi International Theatre & Film Festival Kicks Off This Weekend|author=BWW News Desk|website=BroadwayWorld.com|language=en|access-date=2019-06-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://everythingexperiential.businessworld.in/article/2nd-Delhi-International-Queer-theatre-and-film-festival-kicks-off-in-New-Delhi/15-12-2016-109774/|title=2nd Delhi International Queer theatre and film festival kicks-off in New Delhi|work=Everything Experiential|access-date=2018-06-02|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/delhi/LGBT-community-walk-at-Connaught-Place-in-Delhi/articleshow/49338059.cms|title=LGBT community walk at Connaught Place in Delhi - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-06-02}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/movies-drama-and-lots-of-naach-gaana-at-this-queer-pride-festival/story-9c1DrHPlKrLyIMaz0EK6hI.html|title=Movies, drama and lots of naach-gaana at this queer pride festival|date=2016-12-08|website=hindustantimes.com|access-date=2018-06-02|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/secret-online-groups-provide-safe-space-india-s-lgbtq-community-n700641|title=Secret online groups provide safe space for India’s LGBTQ community|work=NBC News|access-date=2018-06-02|language=en-US}}</ref>