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ShareNew Delhi: At a time when the government is seriously mulling over the idea of decriminalising homosexuality, Delhi's gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders supported by several gay-advocacy groups came out in droves to celebrate the second Delhi Queer Pride Parade on Sunday evening.
Even the capital's searing heat and humidity, which has forced many to stay indoors, didn't prove a hindrance to the march. Some came wearing colourful masks to hide their identity (after all homosexuality is still a 'criminal offence'); others declared their sexual preferences out and loud.
But while last year's Queer Pride march was seen as a cry against the law banning homosexuality (Section 377 IPC), this year's parade was to celebrate the Centre's willingness to rethink the British colonial era law.
"We are really happy that finally the realisation has set in that homosexuals are as much a part of society as 'straight people," one of the organiser's of the parade, Monish Malhotra, said.
The enthusiasm over the government's posturing over repealing Section 377 apart, the march was visibly bigger and better this year. While last year's march witnessed more masked faces, this year they were not hiding it. And while last year the parade had rainbow-coloured flags and beating of drums, this year it had a street play at the end of the march after which a wedding band played music as participants danced and celebrated their pride.
Participants brandished placards with slogans like "Lesbians but no less", "Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isai, Hetero, Homo Bhai Bhai", "Keep your laws off my body" and "Heterosexuality is not normal, it's only common."
Ponni Arasu, a Bangalore based lawyer and gay activist said the Queer Pride march would get bigger with time. "Next time we will have the Queer Pride March in Mumbai," she said.
The March
The Queer Pride March dates back to June 28, 1969, when armed New York Police Department squads raided the Stonewall Inn, a regular gay haunt in Greenwich Village. Several were bundled into waiting vans. Gay groups protested and the outcry led to full-scale rioting that lasted five days. Since then, every year the week leading to June 29 is remembered as the "Rainbow Pride Week".
