An Indian designer going global is no longer news but what makes this Toronto fashion show special is that it is being held in the Youth Pavilion in the Global Village of XVI International AIDS Conference. Twenty-one-year-old Soumik Chatterjee (name changed), all the way from Kolkata, is showcasing his bright Indian accessories and traditional applique work kurta on a ramp at the show. Chatterjee is a gay activist who has been working with Dum Dum Swikriti, a friendship and support group for the MSM community (Men having Sex with Men) based in Kolkata.Chatterjee’s designs are reflections of what he calls the “passion and compassion” for his community. The bags have been designed with the symbolic “red ribbon”. Some of the kurtas have designs with two males making a single fist. With the chants of Om Namah Shivay in the background, Chatterjee sets the tone for the show.“I just want to portray the hidden feelings of our community,” said Chatterjee. “I want to marry my partner, have a normal life and adopt kids, but that is not possible at the moment.”Though quite vocal in his support for the community, Chatterjee knows it won’t be that easy. “Even if Article 377 is abolished, it is doubtful whether that would change the society’s perception of the sexual minorities,” he added. “My parents are professionals who think I am just working for a gay group. They don’t know my preferences. It will take time for me to tell them and even then, one doesn’t know how they will react,” says the fashion designer. A music video with two more groups, Amithi and Saathi, also working for the MSM community in Kolkata and the surrounding areas, is the only way people like him can spread awareness in society. “It is the first music video in India. We try and screen it wherever we go . We use it as a weapon in our fight,” he added.
