Ishaan Bajaj
Identity is not a preference; it is the foundation of dignity that makes dialogue possible.
Ishaan Bajaj (17), from India, experienced the cost of hiding who he was. After coming out at 16, he faced rejection from people close to him. He chose visibility instead; using his own experience to stand up for LGBTQIA+ young people and create the support he once lacked.
Ishaan has led more than 70 gender-sensitisation sessions in schools and universities across India, Poland, Mongolia, Zambia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the UAE. Reaching more than 2,000 students, mostly aged 12 to 18, he addresses misgendering, bullying and allyship.
He has also led reskilling and employment drives in India, placing more than 200 adults into stable jobs. His advocacy has reached policymakers too. He lobbied Zambia’s Ministry of Youth to co-host LGBTQIA+ inclusion events and helped secure support for LGBTQIA+ History Month activities in Rajasthan and Kanpur in India.
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