The month of June is officially regarded as Pride Month or LGBTQIA+ History Month to acknowledge the community's struggle and to commemorate America's Stonewall riots of June 1969. While the awareness and acceptance will take time, Chennai has a few support groups and NGOs that have come up to help the community live a dignified life. Here are the LGBTQIA+ dedicated communities that are helping Chennai become a haven for all of them.
LGBTQIA+ Communities In Chennai You Can Support And Donate To
Overview
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- 1. Orinam
- 2. Nirangal
- 3. Sahodaran
- 4. Periferry
- 5. Chennai Dost
- 6. IRAIVI LGBT Charitable Trust
- 7. Born2win Social Trust
Here's A List Of LBTQIA+ Communities In Chennai
Orinam
Founded in 2003, Orinam is a Tamil and English-based NGO that helps provide news and informative blogs on the LGBT community by the community people and other supporters around the city. They also have focus groups to discuss views and personal stories as a way of providing a space to be free. Orinam provides information on and for LGBTQIA+ inclusion in different religions, workplaces, educational institutions, healthcare, and family for a better understanding of the community.
Reach them at: orinam.org, @chennai.pride
Nirangal
Nirangal is an NGO with headquarters in Thiruvanmiyur, which focuses on changing the social status and discrimination against people from all sexual minorities, genders, and sex workers across Tamil Nadu. They have volunteers across the state to help out people from different groups to live a fear-free life and enjoy a healthy mental wellbeing. Their board members also come from various professional backgrounds and are well-known sexual and feminist activists.
Contact: @nirangalindia
Sahodaran
Run completely by the LGBTQIA+ community, Sahodaran is an NGO focusing on spreading awareness on sexual healthcare, mental wellbeing, and helping people of the community come out to their friends or family. Starting with the motto "Being Gay is A-okay," Sahodaran has gone across villages spreading awareness about the community. You can donate or volunteer to help them reach out to more and more people.
Contact: sahodaran.org, sahodaranchennai@gmail.com
Periferry
Periferry is a startup that focuses on the inclusion of the transgender community in workspaces. The community helps in providing jobs and teaching the community how to stand on their own feet. They provide computer training classes, soft skills sessions, and growth and legal development training. With community interactive sessions and placement programs, they help spread the word among their employees while creating relevant opportunities for the community to work.
Contact: periferry.com
Chennai Dost
Chennai Dost, started in 2008, is a social space for the men of the LGBTQIA+ community. From providing information to hosting community programs, Chennai Dost aims to be a web space for people to express their views and stories freely. All ears and no judgment!
Contact: Instagram
IRAIVI LGBT Charitable Trust
IRAIVI LGBT Charitable Trust works to spotlight the contributions of the people in the community towards art, science, films, music, etc. They hold pride walks, discussion groups, movie screenings, and more, to help people become comfortable with their own sexuality.
Contact: @iraivi_charitable_trust,
Born2win Social Trust
Founded by Swetha, a transgender activist, Born2win is a social welfare group to promote inclusivity and support the LGBTQIA+ community. They conduct regular workshops for various life skills. They also conduct beauty pageants like the Born2win Miss South India Transqueen show, where fashion designers and modeling students from the community get to showcase their talents.
Contact: @born2winsocialtrust
