Diverse dimensions of Q+

What does pride mean to you individually? That is a question that we all seem to ask ourselves. If you are a member of the queer community or an ally, the term pride might be interlinked with freedom and the choice to be oneself. For Q+ founders, pride is hope and a promise for the community. Conceived by Deepak Josey, the architect of the world of Q+, and Sushana Adurthi, the custodian of the Q+ narrative, Q+ is a commercial platform designed as a cohesive lifestyle ecosystem. The team claims that they are Indias first integrated LGBTQ+ lifestyle ecosystem. Its launch on October 11, aligned with National Coming Out Day, marked the start of a carefully planned four-phase rollout extending to 2028, beginning with a digital foundation and culminating in global cultural export. The ecosystem is designed to integrate digital social spaces, including a secure dating chat app with AI-driven profile verification, curated physical spaces like cafs and boutiques, original media, and merchandise. The communitys role is to drive its cultural evolution through engagement and feedback. This approach is supported by over 1,200 early registrations and initial merchandise sales. Q+ is more than inclusion, its imagination. We are not fitting into the world, we are building a new one, together, shared Sushana. For Deepak, every element is part of a singular design. Every caf, every story, every product, and every connection within Q+ will be part of a single design one that celebrates beauty, authenticity, and belonging, Deepak stated. Their definition of success is quantitative. The first year targets 50,000 members, daily active users above 40%, and events like a Queer Film Festival drawing 200-300 attendees. A key metric is community safety, with a goal to keep harassment rates below 2%. By year three, the vision scales to over 2,50,000 active members and more than 80 annual events. To guard against superficial corporate allyship, the founders have established non-negotiable principles. Q+ rejects any form of rainbow-washing by refusing to reduce queer identity to mere marketing symbols. We do not depend on pride flag imagery but embody queer identity as a lifestyle and cultural statement that goes beyond stereotypes. Partnership vetting requires authentic alignment with LGBTQ+ values, backed by transparent disclosures, Deepak asserted. Inclusivity is engineered into its operations. We prioritise community hiring within Q+ and affiliated companies, Sushana said, highlighting roles in social media, content, and customer engagement that will actively recruit from across the spectrum, including trans individuals and sex workers. This ensures the ecosystem is shaped by those it serves. The planned Q+ dating app, a major undertaking, is distinguished by integrated safety. It will use AI-driven user validation through video recording, end-to-end encryption, and comprehensive gender options. These layers create a secure, welcoming, and trusted experience distinctly more sophisticated than mainstream dating apps, Deepak explained. The ecosystems narrative voice is being set by the launch of the first Q+ novel, The Indian Lesbian Vol. 1.1: The Directors Cut, authored by Sushana. The future narrative platform, including an e-magazine and streaming content, will strive to amplify a diversity of authentic stories. We curate and platform diverse queer voices and stories with editorial autonomy and community input, ensuring a multiplicity of perspectives, Sushana affirmed. The choice to launch on National Coming Out Day was symbolic. It signals our dedication to fostering spaces where authentic self-expression is championed and sustained, Deepak said. This timestamp places a responsibility on Q+ to ensure that as it looks toward global Cultural Export, the unique, diverse realities of being queer in India remain its foundational idea.