In the media
Owning it: How Hugging Club of India is empowering queers and straights alike to find support through mental illness
Umang Sheth is all heart. Having seen him bounding across the stage hosting GayBombay Parents’ Meets for over a decade since 1999, getting parents of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders to open up about the issues they and their families were facing, to establishing two dynamic organizations that have their finger on the pulse of the desires and needs of the queer community – Mr. & Mr., a gay matchmaking service founded in 2021, to Hugging Club of India, founded in 2017, which provides essential support to LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies dealing with mental illness. A speaker, counsellor and change enabler,
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Podcast: The Hugging Club of India | Umang Sheth | #TGVH147
Summary
In this episode, hosts Naveen Samala and Payal Mittal interviews Umang Sheth, founder of The Hugging Club of India, about mental health and the power of vulnerability. They discuss the importance of acknowledging mental illness, the impact of emotional connections, and the role of storytelling in healing. Umang shares personal experiences and insights on creating a supportive community.
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How Umang Sheth is rewriting the narrative on mental health and identities
“People think mental health issues can be cured by yoga, meditation, or holidays. While these can help, they are not cures for serious conditions that require medical treatment. The main challenge is overcoming stigma: if physical pain demands medical attention, so should mental pain. Mental health requires acceptance, understanding that the brain, like any organ, can have issues.“
In six months, hugging club helps five people, stops one from committing suicide
Started by Umang Sheth, co-founder of Gay Bombay, this club is for gays and gay-friendly people, facing problems in life, especially those who are coming out.
