Started in 1974, the queer organization–International Front Runners is aimed at creating tight knit community clubs that promote sports for queer folx all around the world. They were inspired by the novel Front Runners by Patricia Nell Warren. They initiated their Indian chapter in the city of Bangalore (home to the luscious green Cubbon Park) the–Bengaluru Front Runners. Sitting cozily in my Mumbai office, I can’t help but feel jealous of Umar (he/him) who had sent me videos of the bright Cubbon Park. (that too with a community of queer folx!) He is answering my questions about the organization and his time there, as he seems to gear up for a run, looking absolutely fabulous while doing so. But I keep getting distracted by the greenery around him, taking me back to 2019 when I was strolling around Cubbon Park with my college friends.
My fitness regime involves a small community of women in an all women’s gym. It’s wholesome and lacks space meaning it can get cramped up very easily. Thanks to the unrealistic real estate prices, lack of free, green, clean, public spaces in Mumbai. This is all we get. Not to mention how most of my daily fitness tests are just running behind local trains, holding on train handles and squishing through small gaps in order to stand in trains.
So when I came across Bengaluru Front Runners’ Instagram page, watching a flourishing community with organized and regular running events I couldn’t help but reach out to their team to find out more!
It’s Hard Being Queer And Healthy!
Being queer comes with a unique (often tougher) set of challenges that can force many individuals to neglect not just their mental health but even physical health. Unable to access resources for health maintenance can further distance the community. And it’s not like healthcare is the most affordable aspect of life either. Queer folx are pushed and dragged into situations that make them more vulnerable to contracting diseases. There’s also the fact that multiple members of the community cannot access resources for health maintaince–this includes access to nutrition, housing, medical professionals, medications and lack of care/support through times of crises.
What’s The Bengaluru Runners Front?
Our domestic chapter of the International Front Runners a non-profit organization that promotes sports like running and other athletic events for the LGBTQIA+ community. The Bangalore chapter meets up every Sunday in Cubbon Park with its members for a fitness gala. If your dream is to run and walk with a group of queer folx in a luscious green park, I think this is your place?!
The only criteria to join:
Be Queer
Join for three runs
You’ll be added to the group if you wish to continue!
They also organize two major runs every year–Pride Run and Rainbow Run. The Pride Run takes place during the International Pride Month aka June. And the Rainbow Run takes place between November-December.
This year the Rainbow Run is happening on 1st December and the preparations are intense, fun and be prepared to have a gay time with the Bengaluru Front Runners!
What Does The Doc Say?
Umar Farooq, one of the runners, who is also a doctor advises the general population to incorporate some type of cardio in our lives–be it walking or running. Reason being, India has seen an increase in lifestyle diseases–often being dubbed as the diabetes capital of the world. Our lifestyles don’t support our bodies. Queer mental health doesn’t really help when we store intense stress and trauma, often resulting in psycho-somatic symptoms leading to other diseases.
While cardio and physical fitness are an essential part to ensuring our well-being it also has to do with our mental well-being. Exercising releases happy hormones–endorphins and serotonin! And you can double that happiness when you workout with fellow queer folx, in a safe, non-judegemental zone!
It may not be the ultimate solution, but it’s something everyone from an individual level to governmental frameworks need to work on. Community health results in a better and smoothly run nation. It’s not a queer person’s fault that society makes it immensely difficult to merely survive in the world.
Queer Health = Community Health
Umar recalls being afraid to join sports in school to avoid getting bullied. Queer folx and school sorts could often result in teasing amongst fellow classmates leading to just more anxiety around physical fitness as adults. Umar reminds us that a lot has already been taken from the community. We have always lived in the shadows and creaks of society. All of that stress, all of that trauma has completely made us forget how important our physical health is!
It’s a reminder to serve your body rather than starve itself of the joy of life. As a doctor himself he urges queer folx to enjoy what physical fitness has to offer and run (or work out or play sports) regardless of who we are–what our gender is, sexuality is, height, weight or even where we live (running on treadmill can also be a joyous occasion if you make it be!)
This ranges from mental health, physical health and even sexual health. What happens when the government or national framework doesn’t allow access to a certain group of people to healthcare? They rely on community, and more importantly a community begins to come together.
