Sumit D. Pawar

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It is essential to create resources that truly connect with our communities and resonate with people. I had the immense pleasure of working on the translation of Consciously Speaking a guidebook on terminology related to sexuality and gender into Marathi.
India is a diverse country with numerous languages spoken across its regions. When it comes to gender and sexuality, many find it challenging to understand these topics or struggle to connect with existing resources because most of them are in English. Gender and sexuality are deeply human topics, yet they are often shrouded in stigma, making it even harder to find resources in regional languages.
To bridge this gap, we need to come together and create as much regional content as possible. This will help us reach more people, ensuring they can benefit from such valuable resources.
I am truly grateful to Sharif D Rangnekar for connecting me with Sharmishta from Avian WE, allowing us to collaborate on these translation projects. Together, we’ve translated Consciously Speaking into Hindi and Marathi. The process of translation was a learning experience and deeply fulfilling.
I encourage you to check out this guidebook and share your feedback! Additionally, I’d love to hear your suggestions on other languages we should translate it into.

Book link:https://www.avianwe.com/media/t5gl0d0n/consciously-speaking_marathi_print-final.pdf

***rBook

This May, I had the incredible opportunity to visit Glad Day Bookshop, Canada's oldest LGBTQIA+ bookstore, which opened its doors in 1970. As one of the first gay bookstores in Canada, it has been a beacon of inclusivity and culture for over five decades. Today, Glad Day Bookshop is not just a bookstore; it also serves as a restaurant, a meeting and conference space, and a vibrant community hub.

During my visit, I had the privilege of meeting the passionate individual currently running the bookstore and connecting with amazing people from various neighborhood organizations. It was inspiring to learn about the bookstore's journey and its significant role as a cultural landmark in Toronto.

This experience was made possible through the Karim Ladhak Fellowship, by Dignity Network Canada. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to explore such an iconic venue and its contributions to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Do you know of any other unique bookstores around the world? Share them in the comments, and let's help spread the word about these wonderful spaces!

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