She ties together multiple bodies of work as a poet, curator, DJ and psychologist. Shreya Ila Anasuya meets one of the smart, savvy and sensitive new faces of mental health and LGBTQIA+ rights in India
In most pictures she posts of herself, Divya Dureja looks calm, composed and confident. But on September 6, she posts a picture of herself with her face scrunched up, one hand covering her mouth. The picture is bathed in the colours of the rainbow, and the caption reads, ‘I’m tearing up’. It is a historic day, since Section 377, an archaic colonial law effectively criminalising queer Indians, has finally been read down by the highest court in the country. ‘Six years ago, I was so afraid of being my authentic self and coming out’ the caption to the post reads. ‘I cannot wait to be with queer folks and allies who understand the true joy and meaning of this verdict and feel similar emotions. I can’t wait to hug each and every one of you and make it one of the most memorable nights of our lives!’
Today, Dureja speaks about the experience of living as a queer person openly. She is DJ Sapphic (the moniker derives from Sappho, the archaic Greek poet), and part of a collective of women DJs called Coven Code. It is telling that her DJ name takes after the OG lesbian poet’s because Dureja is also a performance poet who performs passionately, often on issues of queerness. (A recent review likened her presence to that of Joni Mitchell’s.) A poetry film she has made on the painful condition called vaginismus has been shown in festivals around the world, while back home she conducts skill development workshops with young people on sexuality, relationships and health. The work doesn’t stop there. Dureja is also the co-founder and director of Performers’ Consortium, which she describes as ‘a platform for nourishing performers, democratising art narratives, and creating safe event spaces’. As a curator she has showcased the work of queer and assigned-female-at-birth artistes. She also curates an event called What a Pride Night! that focuses on the LGBTQIA+ community.
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