Hyderabad-based Mobbera Foundation’s online beauty pageant is distinct. “Our focus is to create an inclusive environment,” shares Anil Kohli, the vice-president for the Foundation. Summer is a busy time, when the Foundation members gather for various events and cultural/ramp shows , but this year, due to the ongoing lockdown, the team decided to host it online.
Photos to tell a story
Kavya, a participant
The pageant is for the LGBTQ community and their allies. In the first round, participants upload their picture and narrate a story. Anil explains, “It could be a coming out story or anything else where one gets a sense of their personality through the words.” Once the Foundation posts it on their Facebook and Instagram pages, participants need to promote themselves and try to get as many as likes as possible. Three judges — Joy Nag (Havell brand managers), transwoman and activist Shane and Vinita Saini (Reliance Trends, Jalandhar) give points based on their appearance, story and the likes from social media.
One of the participants Sushanta Abhishek, a fashion student from Ranchi in Jharkhand posted a picture and wrote on inclusive gender-neutral love or unconventional love. Kishore Patel, a student from Karimnagar breaks the taboo around male dressing and wears a dupatta on jeans and kurti . Anil says “In his post, he wrote how men dressed only in a certain way are considered male. Kishore observed how elegant women look in a sari and men in traditional attire. He combined both and wore a sari on a jeans; he believes fashion is gender-neutraland that anyone can wear anything.”
Short-listed participants from the first round will go on to the second and third rounds. The Foundation had also organised an online Pride Art Showcase recently.
(For more check Mobbera’s Facebook/Instagram page)
