Queer at the workplace: Parmesh Shahani nudges companies to be inclusive

Shahani dreams of an India where being queer is a non-issue, says Chintan Girish Modi

On a balmy Saturday afternoon in Mumbai, I board a Churchgate-bound local train feeling both nervous and elated. This is my first train ride since the lockdown was imposed as a public safety measure almost a year ago. The atmosphere in the general compartment seems unreal. The chatter is missing. There are fewer people than usual. Everyone has a mask covering their nose and mouth. Commuters are seated at a distance from each other.

I fall asleep as the train moves along a familiar route. It takes an hour to arrive at my destination. A kaali-peeli taxi waiting outside Churchgate railway station takes me to the Kala Ghoda Café in the Fort area where I am supposed to meet Parmesh Shahani, head, Culture Lab and Diversity and Inclusion at Godrej Industries Limited. He arrives a few minutes later, wearing a radiant smile. The customary handshake is replaced with an elbow bump.

The year 2020 was an important one for Shahani. Westland launched its business imprint with his new book Queeristan: LGBTQ Inclusion in the Indian Workplace. Sage issued a “special anniversary edition” of his debut book Gay Bombay: Globalization, Love and (Be)longing in Contemporary India, which was first published in 2008. We have a lot to talk about, so we order apple celery ginger juice, cappuccino, a kebab roll, a pesto cheddar melt sandwich, and a chef’s salad. Everything here tastes absolutely delicious but the portions seem smaller than I expected.

Before Shahani joined Godrej, he completed his MS in Comparative Media Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was a student in 2004 when Massachusetts became the first state in the United States to give legal recognition to same-sex marriage. He has written about how liberating it was to live “freely and openly as a gay person for the first time in his life.” Since he and his partner at the time could easily apply for joint health insurance and be co-tenants in a rental apartment, “being gay became such a non-issue.”

Same-sex marriage is not legally recognised in India even today, so he does think about what life would have been like had he stayed in the US after his studies. He says, “I would have been teaching at a university, certainly married by now, perhaps to a non-Indian husband. I would have had two kids, and become a Biden-Harris supporter. I would have been hosting potlucks for desi friends. But I am glad I came back to India. This is where I was needed. This is where I could add value, change things around, make a real long-lasting contribution.”

Today, Shahani is one of the most vocal advocates for LGBTQ inclusion in India, not only in the corporate sector but in every field of work. He uses his social media presence to amplify the amazing work being done by queer entrepreneurs, artists, scholars, innovators, historians, fashionistas, scientists and media practitioners. He also gives talks at college campuses to inspire students, teachers and administrative staff to be queer inclusive.

Biting into the little piece of chocolate that comes with our coffee, Shahani looks around and tells me how happy he feels when he sees young queer couples publicly acknowledging their relationship and having a good time. He has been deeply involved with the movements that have made this visibility possible. He says, “When other companies invite me to speak with their employees about LGBTQ inclusion, I ask them to make a contribution to a queer NGO or community organisation either of my choice or theirs. The principle that queer labour needs to be valued is part of my corporate advocacy.”

Shahani adds, “It is important that they contribute in lieu of paying me a speaker fee so that funds can be raised for grassroots initiatives engaged in providing healthcare, livelihood support and other services. This way, even if they are doing it just to tick a box, at least the community benefits!” He recognises the profit-making mindset, so he talks to companies about how inclusion is not only a humane thing to do but is also profitable and good for PR.

When Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was read down by the Supreme Court of India in 2018, Shahani was asked to participate in several newspaper and radio interviews. He mentioned Godrej in each of those. In the book Queeristan: LGBTQ Inclusion in the Indian Workplace, he reveals that Godrej’s PR agency measured the coverage they received using a method called Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE).

He writes, “For just one week of talking about something I care about and that Godrej believes in, we received Rs 117 million in positive publicity! I have been doing this for the past eight years – can you add up the millions of goodwill generated for Godrej?” It is true that marginalised communities should not have to prove their economic worth in order to claim human rights but the business case for inclusion can bring important attitudinal shifts.

The Godrej India Culture Lab that Shahani founded has been a critical hub in terms of “cross-pollinating conversations between arts and culture, academia, policy, and corporate India”. In December 2018, he and his colleague Nayanika Nambiar co-authored a white paper titled "A Manifesto for Trans Inclusion in the Indian Workplace", which has sparked dialogue and action beyond Godrej. Shahani is also a member of the FICCI taskforce on diversity and inclusion.

Shahani tells me that the Culture Lab is currently on a sabbatical due to the safety protocols put in place because of Covid-19. Most of their programming required bringing people together in a physical space. That is not safe or feasible at the moment. Instead of mourning change, he has embraced it. He discusses his new plans with me as we walk around the Kala Ghoda art precinct, past Gateway of India and Sassoon Docks, and many of Shahani’s personal landmarks. This is where he grew up. Each lane invokes childhood memories.

Shahani says, “I want to spend more of my time on personal philanthropy so that I can nurture young queer researchers through a rigorous fellowship programme. Designing it thoughtfully is crucial because the idea is to mentor them over a period of time, help them build connections, and not just write a cheque.”

He has been a TED Senior Fellow, a Yale World Fellow and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader. He knows what he is getting into. He adds, “I have benefited hugely from having mentors like Bachi Karkaria at The Times of India, Prof Henry Jenkins at MIT, and Nisa Godrej at my current workplace, and I want to pay it forward by mentoring others.” He has also become a board member of the Khoj International Artists’ Association.

What does he think of the recent affidavit that the Government of India filed in the Delhi High Court, proclaiming that same-sex marriage is incompatible with Indian culture? He says, “I do want to be married to my partner. I want a bridal outfit and a sangeet. I guess I have seen too many Bollywood films. Some of my friends don’t like this and tell me that this dream is too heteronormative and I understand the concerns. I am all for questioning marriage as an institution but let us do that after we all have the same rights. Not everyone needs to be married – but for those who wish to, it should be available.”

Even in the absence of legal recognition from the state, Godrej and many other Indian companies acknowledge the same-sex partnerships of their employees. Shahani informs me that “being out or not does not affect their access to housing support, health insurance, and costs to cover gender affirmation surgery.” Only the HR head needs to know, and their privacy is respected.

In the new edition of Gay Bombay, he also addresses the need for “anti-discrimination legislation, legislation that bans conversion therapy and protects intersex babies and minors and from non-consensual conversion surgeries.” There is a lot to be done, and Shahani is prepared to do what it takes. After the sun sets, we go to St Joseph’s, Colaba, the school he studied at. We briefly stop by the church to pay our respects, and go to a restaurant for another quick bite. It has been a long day, and my heart is full.