Doel (Words Of Pride)
CLIENT: DISNEY + HOTSTAR
Doel shares her views on the existing language and her continued search for words that she is comfortable using to talk about her identity.
Words of Pride is a multilingual lexicon and campaign created with community linguists and queer language experts to surface inclusive LGBTQIA+ vocabulary across English, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Despite India’s linguistic diversity, many respectful terms had been forgotten or replaced by derogatory language. The project brings these words back through film, digital content, and a glossary of 246 terms grounded in lived experiences.
Length: 1:49 min
Language: Bengali (English, Hindi, Telugu, Kanada, Malayalam, Bengali, Tamil subtitles)
Visit www.wordsofpride.com to explore the full glossary and campaign.
Challenge
In a world where most conversations struggle to find the right words for the LGBTQIA+ community, the challenge wasn’t a lack of language but the lack of inclusive language already present in our cultures. Words matter. They signal belonging.
Solution
#WordsOfPride re-contextualises our existing languages by spotlighting respectful, inclusive terminology that has always existed but rarely used. We crafted a film that is part advocacy, part cinematic reflection, and part cultural invitation. The visuals and editing reflect a spectrum of identities, languages and lived experience distributed across film, digital and social platforms.
Impact & Reach
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112 M+ reach
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94 M+ video views
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171 M+ impressions
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92.2 % positive sentiment (highest among Pride campaigns)
Role
Star Hopper Studio led the creative and cultural direction of the initiative across three years. In collaboration with Disney Star and queer language experts, we developed, directed, and produced the film and contributed to supporting content across formats, including the language glossary, photo stories, and written features.
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