In a national first, a group of parents with LGBT+ children have gathered in Mumbai to discuss their experiences and how they can support more LGBT+ families in India.
The gathering was organised by Solaris Pictures in support of a new Hindi film—Evening Shadows—that follows the story of a gay son who comes out to his mother in a small town.
Director Sridhar Rangayan told LGBT Weekly that for the parents, the meeting was the “first time ever they got to spend an entire day with each other, sharing and discussing in a structured formal manner".
“It was not only a great learning experience, but also a very definitive move towards forming an Indian PFLAG kind of group, first in Mumbai and maybe later in other cities.”
Padma Iyer, one of the parents attending the workshop said: “My desire is to form an easily accessible group of parents who could assist other parents and children in the closet.”
“Hopefully, one day, we will be able to build a shelter home for children who are forced to escape their homes of birth. This would give us all a unique chance to become their foster parent.”
