Ahead Of Pride Month, Remembering 16-Year-Old Queer Artist Pranshu  

Pride Month is celebrated annually in June, dedicating, honouring, and supporting the LGBTQ+ community. It remembers the Stonewall Riots in June 1969, pivotal in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights. Pride month is marked by fostering a sense of unity, visibility, and empowerment for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies. Many cities around the globe host Pride parades and marches showcasing vibrant, colourful displays of solidarity, featuring floats, music, and performances.

Pride Month increases the visibility of LGBTQ+ individuals and issues in the media. It is the time, when many influencers particularly those from the LGBTQ+ community, use social media platforms to ask for equality, share their experiences, and celebrate diversity. They play a crucial role in shaping public perception and fostering a more inclusive society.

Ahead of Pride Month, The Reel Stars remembers the 16-year-old queer artist named Pranshu who died by suicide due to bullying.

Pranshu lost his life due to cyberbullying  

Pranshu, who hailed from Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain, lost their life by suicide after receiving a slew of hate comments on Instagram. They was found dead, reportedly hanging from their mother’s dupatta on November 21. Many users on Instagram alleged that Pranshu was subjected to online bullying and harassment, especially after sharing a reel wearing a saree on Diwali day. The reel went viral, eliciting more than 4,000 hate comments, mostly homophobic.

Pranshu’s social media presence

They were a Class 10 student with thousands of followers on social media, where they showcased their art. A self-taught makeup artist, Pranshu has nearly 29K followers on Instagram and used to post makeup and beauty content. Pranshu used to post photos and videos wearing make-up, sarees, jewellery, nail polish, and other traditional wear. Even after their death, Pranshu’s Instagram handle remained a hunting ground for homophobic trolls. The account has now been made private by Pranshu’s family.

Pranshu’s mother was proud of him

Pranshu’s mother Preeti Yadav a Ujjain-based medical representative, was quoted as saying in a report by The Quint: “Why is no attention being paid to the fact that 16-year-old faced hateful comments online for doing something they not only loved, but were also good at? This negativity needs to be checked and curtailed.”

She added, “My child was supremely talented. They did nothing wrong. I am proud of them. Usually, it’s in class 9 when children tell their parents they want to be engineers, architects, etc. But Pranshu came and told me they wanted to be a makeup artist. At first, I was a bit surprised, but when I looked at their work I was in awe. That day I asked them to follow their dream.”

She further shared that they drew inspiration from American YouTuber and makeup artist James Charles, and “wanted to be just like him.” “Every child is unique, and I accepted my child the way they were. I would have always stood by them. I wish they would have given me that chance.”

Sushant Divgikar was heartbroken with Pranshu’s demise

Trans activist-actor Sushant Divgikar was heartbroken with Pranshu’s demise, as she shared, “I knew them. They used to comment on some of my posts. I couldn’t believe it initially; it was so heart breaking. However, I haven’t been able to mourn properly, because anger has taken over grief. I am tired, I have been dealing with this for 17 years. This should be a wakeup call how many kids are we going to lose? If you are okay with a child losing their life, then there is systematically something wrong with you. We as a society should collectively feel ashamed of ourselves. Moreover, there should be strict policies on social media for cybercrime.”

Here’s how Pranshu started his journey

During the pandemic, Pranshu started using social media for school. However, that’s when he also started watching YouTube videos and taking makeup tutorials online. Since then, they uploaded more than 300 posts on Instagram, most of which are makeup looks. Furthermore, Pranshu used to collaborate with brands for promotions and never burdened her with any expenses related to makeup.

Pranshu was a happy child and a Lord Krishna devotee

Pranshu and Preeti lived alone after Preeti separated from her husband a few years ago. Her mother mentioned that Prashu was a happy child and a big devotee of Lord Krishna. They were a bright student and never received complaints. Pranshu performed well academically and teachers were very fond of them. They were always respectful towards girls and women.