HYDERABAD: Disability is often viewed through the lens of sympathy or inspiration. Hyderabad’s first Disability Pride Fest sought to challenge that narrative, bringing together more than 150 persons with disabilities, activists and allies on Saturday to celebrate identity, community and equal participation.
Organised by the BARC Disability Reading Circle in association with the Phoenix Foundation at Phoenix Arena in Hitec City, the festival brought together people with diverse disabilities to share experiences, challenge stereotypes and build a sense of community. It opened with a screening of the Oscar-nominated documentary Crip Camp, which traces the origins of the disability rights movement in the United States and underscores the power of collective action.
The conversations that followed centred on accessibility, discrimination and identity. Disability rights activist Kiran B Nayak, artist and entrepreneur Aishwarya TV Pillai, and US-based activist and writer Hope Loudon urged people to move beyond viewing disabled persons through the lens of pity or inspiration and instead recognise them as equal members of society.
Reflecting on her own journey after losing her sight, Aishwarya said inaccessible resources initially forced her to give up creating art. Although accessibility has improved over the years, she noted that many public spaces remain inaccessible despite legal provisions.
Kiran spoke about navigating life as a disabled trans man from the Lambada community, highlighting barriers in documentation, public infrastructure and social acceptance. He urged disabled persons to make themselves visible by occupying public spaces and sharing their lived experiences.
The discussions eventually gave way to an open mic, where poetry, music and storytelling became a way to speak about ableism, inaccessible infrastructure and lived experiences.
