India, June 2022: One of India’s leading entertainment and digital experiences platforms, Paytm Insider has always endeavoured to be an LGBTQ+ inclusive space, and this year, it has chosen to mark the Pride month through its Proud & Loud initiative. Through this, the platform is collating an exquisite set of experiences where the community can express itself without any prejudice, and come together to celebrate Pride, love & inclusivity in a fun yet impactful manner.
As part of the initiative, Paytm Insider is curating experiences from all across the country including SOCIAL’s Satrangi Mela, the well-celebrated pride pop-up which returns this June at outlets across the country. Not to forget ‘Queer Rated’, India’s first all-queer comedy lineup. There’s also Chaiffee Cafe and Out & About (India’s first queer inclusive travel community) from Bengaluru hosting Bollywood-themed Quiz Nights. Meanwhile, Play with Pride Trivia Night at Gurugram’s Unlocked will see a Pride-edition MELA pub quiz – making for an exciting evening of food, drinks and wits. Following that we have Lush Monsoon, Delhi’s very own drag star hosting an exciting Pride Party at Unlocked.
Furthermore – as Pride month around the world is celebrated with bright colours, flags and impactful messages – Paytm Insider intends to infuse this same compassion into its actions. While the platform has always been an ally to the LGBTQ+ community, this year the Proud & Loud initiative brings forth new inclusivity-driven initiatives. One of these includes facilitating pronoun stickers at events. Paytm Insider understands how using correct pronouns is critical while interacting since it fosters inclusion, makes people feel respected and affirms their gender identity. To encourage this practice, they have made sticker tags clearly saying she/her, he/him and they/them available for attendees to wear at any event, while blank sticker tags are also available to write your own pronouns.
At the same time, zines have long been a medium through which the LGBTQ+ community have expressed their identities, stories and experiences. To build a similar open, safe and expressive space, the platform has organised stations where you can drop by and create a zine about your story and identity the way you want! Moreover, Paytm Insider also has small surprises lined up for the community and the allies, which include badges and cute wristbands – that you can wear to express yourselves, and more!
Talking about Proud & Loud, Samidh Bhattacharyya – Head of Marketing – Paytm Insider said, “Paytm Insider has always been an LGBTQ+ friendly space striving to align its offerings with these values. In line with this, our Proud & Loud initiative is a step towards expanding our allyship by creating an equal space for all where LGBTQ+ voices are recognised and welcomed to truly be themselves without judgement while celebrating Pride Month proudly and loudly.”