Rubina Dilaik: It’s Pride Month, and we need to be louder in support of the LGBTQIA+ community!

The Shakti actor auctions her prized outfits for a charity sale benefiting transgenders; says she’s always looking to find ways to draw attention to this issue and mobilise resources for them.

Rubina Dilaik, who has earned much acclaim for her role as a transgender woman in the popular show, Shakti — Astitva Ke Ehsaas Kii, has been a supporter of the transgender community.

This initiative augments Rubina’s earlier fundraisers and awareness campaigns for the trasngender community.

To commemorate the Pride Month, the actor and transgender rights activist will be sharing valued personal memorabilia and will give away select special pieces for a virtual sale. These include a few of her outfits, worn in the Bigg Boss house, the gown she wore for the finale, and ensembles she wore in her music video Marjaneya, among others. The proceeds of the online sale will support Color Positive, an NGO that takes a holistic approach to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. This initiative augments Rubina’s earlier fundraisers and awareness campaigns for the transgender community.

Picking out the pieces was a sentimental experience for the actor, who admitted that “each of these hold beautiful memories”. She adds, “But if I can share them with the world in support of an important cause, nothing would make me happier. It’s Pride Month, and we need to be louder in support of the LGBTQIA+ community! Since my work acting the role of a transgender person in my show, I have related and connected with the Transgender community closely. The stigma they continue to face is an issue we can resolve in our lifetime. All we need is awareness and compassion, so I hope we can use platforms like this to talk about this more and address the conscious and unconscious biases we all may be harbouring.”

Talking about the sale, Dilaik says, “The sales will lead to help raise funds for one of the charities, that helps the LGBTQIA+ community and they currently are helping them with medication. Anyone suffering with Covid-19 or needs post-Covid care or supplements, will get free medication. If we are able to raise funds more than the requirement for medication, then those funds will help them buy basic necessities for their homes.”