A step forward in Queernama’s journey

The second edition of Telangana’s first LGBTQ e-magazine to be launched on October 30 features 15 entrepreneurs from the community

“The narrative is a map of my mind; a bit of where I started, what I do and hope for,” says Mohammed Imaduddin Farooqui, a queer entrepreneur and psychologist, referring to his story being featured in the second edition of the e-magazine Queernama ( ₹100) being launched by Hyderabad’s Queer Nilayam, an LGBTQ support group on October 30.

Touted to be Telangana’s first LGBTQ E-zine, Queernama was launched in July 2021. “In the first edition, we struggled to feature entrepreneurs from the community; now for this issue, we had 15 entrepreneurs coming forward, ” says Queer Nilayam’s founder Jayant, a.k.a. JoJo.

The magazine is a platform to showcase queer writers and artists, say Vikram Maruvada and Riddhi Kedia, editors of the first edition. “This magazine is a small contribution to the movement. Each queer individual has a unique story and experience to share but they often get lost due to broad generalisations and categorisations. We wanted to celebrate other facets of queer life, the quiet day-to-day ones entangled with desire, longing, loneliness and strength mired in the oblivion of normalcy.”

With contributors from within the community, the 35-page book edited by Riddhi Kedia includes LGBTQ movie reviews, poems, drawings and information on voluntary organisations catering to the community in Hyderabad.

The entrepreneurs featured in the E-zine will also participate in Satrangi Mela, an all-day queer festival on October 15 at WeWork Krishe Emerald in Kondapur. Celebrating music and arts, the mela will have stalls selling handmade jewellery, lamps, artwork, candles, ceramic mugs, badges and posters.

Imaduddin turns his illustrations into accessible art to be displayed at the mela. Balancing his role as a counsellor and illustrator has been easy as he creates perspective art. “I want to give a meaning and words to the experiences that people have,” he says observing how it is a common tendency to hold on to bad memories. With a blend of fantasy and experiences, his illustrations, a set of A2 postcards, carry an imaginary creature and its power on our thinking and emotions. “The creative process is fulfilling, and also people do relate to an illustration that has a context,” he adds.

Another participant at the mela is Debbie Das, a designer of brand identities, who primarily works with women, queers and marginalised individuals. A trans non-binary person, Debbie has been freelancing since 2020. “Empathy is an important part of design,” says Debbie who hopes his story in the E-zine will inspire others. “ I am a success story as I have been able to make it without any design degree. I am building a career with my work experience and self-study.”