NEW DELHI: The corporate fair organised for the LGBTQ community was not just another routine job event on Saturday as many participants gave a thumbs up to the initiative which they said gave them confidence in their search for a livelihood.
“We face huge discrimination everywhere including job interviews. During an interview, when I shared my hobbies with an employer, she found my interests to be feminine perhaps and rejected me in the first round,” said Vipin Verma.
In a similar episode, Vipin said, during an interview with a school principal for the job of a teacher, he was sneered at.
“After knowing about my marital status, she smirked. I didn’t get that job...I am here at this job fair for (gay) pride.”
Arif, who hails from Kolkata, appreciated the initiative, saying it made the community feel that there was more to them than parties.
“We are not accepted as individuals. People think we are not career-oriented, that we are all about parties and that our life ends as sex buddies, which is not true. We also have career goals,” he said.
Perhaps the first job fair for LGBTQ community in India, ‘Q-rious’ was conceptualised by Stockroom.io, Equiv.in’s parent company and Humsafar Trust at The Lalit Hotel on Saturday.
Over 15 firms such as Flipkart, Societe Generale, Optum, The Lalit, Thoughtworks, JLL and StayUncle participated in the programme.
"It is a great initiative but there should have been more firms. We hope there are more employers the next time the event is held," an attendee said at the event.
Organisers said that the event was organised so that corporates, seeking to broaden their diversity and inclusion mandate, could understand the perspectives of the LGBTQ community.
Over 500 members of the LGBTQ community participated in the day-long event which comprised panel discussions and speaker sessions followed by a career fair for interested candidates.