Loud, proud and unstoppable: Queer changemakers to know this pride month

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Pride Month begins today and brings with it a burst of colour, joy and courage. It is a time to celebrate love, freedom, and the right to being yourself. But for many queer people, showing up as themselves in the face of negativity is a brave choice. It is a brave act that comes with stares, comments, and sometimes even hate.
Especially online, where negativity can spread faster than kindness. But despite all this, many continue to live their truth with boldness, beauty, and brilliance. There are voices that rise above the noise. They dance, they speak, they write, and they create. They remind us that Pride is not just a moment in June. It is a way of being. It is the decision to stand tall when others want you to shrink. It is the magic of turning pain into power. Here are incredible individuals who are doing just that.
Designer Saim Ghani knows what it means to face hate and still choose love. As a queer creative in Mumbai, he often receives harsh comments online, but he meets them with strength and kindness. 'If someone sends hate, I try to turn it into love because love is the foundation of everything,' he says. For Saim, love is not just a feeling but a way to heal and grow.
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At 31 years old, Saim works in fashion, a field where his identity, creativity and personal life come together. He refuses to hide who he is and shares his truth openly, just like his heterosexual friends do. 'Why should I hide a part of myself when others do not?' he asks. He believes queer people are no different from anyone else and that qualities like softness belong to all humans, not just one group. Growing up shy and quiet in an all-boys school, Saim struggled to understand himself. It was only when he joined fashion college that he found the courage to embrace his true self.
Mumbai-based makeup artist and content creator Coco Ballucci has learned to keep their peace, even amid a barrage of social media hate. 'When you know your worth and the work you have put into building your life, the noise just fades,' they say. That quiet confidence is ten years in the making; taking a leap of faith, Coco moved from Kolkata to Chandigarh to become a professional makeup artist.
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But it was during the pandemic that they found their voice online. Their YouTube channel quickly found a loyal audience. 'My message is simple,' they say, adding, 'Keep laughing, be silly, and always work for yourself.' Their work also serves as an inspiration to young queer people, who reach out for guidance or just to say thank you. 'If my journey can light the way for someone else, I am doing something right,' Coco says.
Zeesh, a drag performer based in Mumbai, knows that being visible is never simple. Now 30, the artist has learnt to exist boldly after years of trying to shape themselves to fit others' expectations.
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'After my first drag performance, a young person from the audience came up and said, 'Just by watching you, I felt like I could be myself, too.' It reminded me that my visibility is not just about me,' says Zeesh. 'It is also about others who have not yet found their voice,' they add. Their social media is now a safe space for young queer folks seeking softness, power, and joy. 'I am not just a force, but also a feeling. I am meant to be held, to be loved, to be human,' Zeesh tells us.