Smarty Party
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For the Templeton salon, which was hosted in June, she gathered doctors, journalists, venture capitalists and academics in her New York City home to discuss the human microbiome over mezcal cocktails and lamb meatballs. “The ages ranged from 20s to 90s,” she said.
R.M. Michaële Antoine, 33, lives in San Diego and runs a company named Curios that performs communication training for businesses. She started hosting salons during the pandemic, first virtually and then in person, about topics including sex education (she had people write down a safe word on their name tags as an icebreaker) and salaries (or, why we are so hesitant to talk about money).
“I think these conversations have to be intentional. You can’t just get people together and give them food and see if they talk about something interesting,” she said. “People are craving a real conversation after a time of isolation and death and confusion. I think people want to be reminded of their humanity and one of the best ways to do that is through a real conversation.”
“There is nothing like the buzzy feeling you get when you have a deep, thoughtful, intentional conversation,” she added.
Ziv Shafir, 36, a health care lawyer and strategy consultant, moved to Los Angeles during the pandemic, and started hosting weekly salons at his home to make like-minded friends and expand his community. (These events have been held outside, with guests who have all been vaccinated.) He decided to theme them around psychedelics, a class of drugs that he said helped him battle depression in the past and which have compounds that are being studied for a range of mental health problems.
He invited friends and friends of friends to sit around his dining room table and formally discuss topics from the business of psychedelics to their health benefits. “It loses its intrigue if it is something posted on Eventbrite,” he said. “It has to be a bit of an insider community.” He serves gnocchi with pesto sauce or dates filled with cashew butter and éclairs and puts out wine for those who want it.
Mumbai social worker ShreeGauri Sawant becomes the first transgender election ambassador
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Mumbai
In a groundbreaking move, the Election Commission of India (EC) appointed ShreeGauri Sawant, abased 38-year-old transgender activist as one of the 12 election ambassadors from the state.It’s the first time that a transgender has been appointed as an election ambassador in India. While speaking to Mirror, ShreeGauri said, “I felt relieved to know that I was appointed as one of the election ambassadors for the general elections. Casting a vote is a not just an individual’s constitutional right but a social responsibility. It is important that every citizen who’s eligible to vote must do it responsibly. Along with my members of Sakhi Char Chowghi, we help people cast their vote at the polling booths across the city during every election. EC’s decision for the Lok Sabha possibly has given me an added responsibility.““Polling days are holidays for housewives. But I want to ensure that each one of them go and vote; not just housewives but also women who are into sex work and every transgender in this country. They’ve equal rights to have their say in the government they wish for. I got appointed for my work and not my gender,” she adds.Born as Ganesh Suresh Sawant, she moved out of her Pune house and shifted to Mumbai. After years of extensive struggle, ShreeGauri formed an NGO named ‘Sakhi Char Chowghi’ to provide health care services and create sexual awareness amongst transgender and the MSM community.In an another progressive move, in 2001 she adopted a daughter of a sex worker who passed away while fighting HIV.The Supreme Court (SC) passed the NALSA judgement in 2013 and the state government is yet to form a welfare board for the transgender community. ShreeGauri is hopeful and believes that this is an opportunity for her to bring a change and uplift society.Maharashtra will vote in four phases. Read the complete schedule here
Mumbai Social Activist Becomes First Transgender Election Ambassador
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In a first, the Election Commission of India appointed Maharashtra’s transgender activist Shree Gauri Sawant as one of the 12 election ambassadors.
According to election officials, as a goodwill ambassador, Shree Gauri Sawant is expected to meet transgenders and urge them to enrol themselves as voters and also explain to them the need to exercise their franchise.
“Voting not just right but a responsibility”
Shree Gauri Sawant expressed her views on being appointed as one of the election ambassadors for the general elections. She said, “Casting a vote is not just an individual’s constitutional right but a social responsibility. It is important that every citizen who’s eligible to vote must do it responsibly. Along with my members of Sakhi Char Chowghi, we help people cast their vote at the polling booths across the city during every election. EC’s decision for the Lok Sabha possibly has given me an added responsibility,” as reported by Mid-Day.
She further said that this voting day all, including women and transgenders, must step out and cast their votes. Saying that every citizen irrespective of their sex, caste, creed or community has equal right to have a say in the government they wish for, she added that she was chosen for the work because of her merit and not just because of her gender.
Gauri’s mother died when she was very young. Her father was a police officer, mostly busy and out of the home. The relationship between Gauri and her father was quite repulsive. He wanted her to live like a “man”, but Gauri (born as Ganesh) was always more feminine. But her father never let her do that. Her neighbours continuously teased and bullied her, but she withstood all the abuse silently. She left her house at the age of 17 and shifted to Mumbai to start life afresh.
Social work
After years of efforts and unending dedication, she founded a Non-Government Organisation known as “Sakhi Char Chowghi” that provided health care services and spread sexual awareness amongst transgender and the MSM community.
In 2001, ShreeGauri Sawant adopted a young girl, Gayatri. Gayatri’s biological mother was a sex worker, who died after fighting HIV. Sawant decided to adopt the five-year-old Gayatri after learning that she was being pushed into the sex trade.
Speaking about it, Gauri reveals that she was never sure if she would be a mother, but things became a lot clearer when she met Gayatri and she knew that the little girl needed protection, love and a fair shot at life.
Also Read: Against All Odds: Activist Gauri Sawant Has Been Fighting For Transgender Rights All Her Life