Rainbow streaks through Mumbai

Bigger, bolder and more politically assertive. The gay pride march was all these things as Mumbai kept its annual date with the Rainbow on Saturday. The streets were bursting with colours and the energy was palpable. Among the nearly 5,000 that walked, a substantial chunk was formed by the parents of members of the LGBTQ community, who came to support their children and each other. Several others from different parts of the world also flew down to be a part of this fast-growing movement.

Pradip Divgikar, whose actor, VJ, and choreographer son Sushant represented India at the Mr Gay World competition last year, grinned as he told dna, "He's gay and I'm happy." Sushant, the industrial psychology post-grad, hugged his dad as he said, "I want all parents of LGBTQ children to be like him."

Gay rights activist Vikram Doctor, who was behind the first Pride March in 2008, said that the increasing number of youths participating is fast becoming the game changer. "Earlier it would be only the occasional mother or sister or aunt who'd come join the gay person in the march. It's great to see fathers and brothers step forward too."

Colourful costumes, innovative headgear, flags, a multitude of balloons in rainbow colours and message tees (from the righteous to the ribald) added to the atmosphere charged with slogans, chanting, singing and waving of whacky, tongue-in-cheek banners and posters against the draconian section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.

Pride march host and equal rights activist Harish Iyer told dna, "This year's theme is Fakr which means taking pride in what you are. It is a way of underlining how important it is for us to take pride in who we are and for family and society to take pride in letting us be without pressurising us into conforming to the hetero-normative." He added, "The march is an attempt at building awareness. There will be those who will point at us, but even they cannot negate their awareness of us as a community."

"From the academic field where students taking up queer issues as a part of their projects to popular media, cinema and TV coming out of their closets in projecting queer characters shows how the community is gaining slow, yet steady acceptance in Indian society," said actor Bhushan Kulkarni, who is part of the Queer Azaadi Mumbai (QAM), a collective of organisations and individuals which organise the annual Mumbai Pride March and the Mumbai Pride Week.

Every year, QAM goes sets up volunteer committees that take charge of various activities such as permissions, event organizing, march planning and fund-raising, explained Kulkarni who added, that whether its legendary tennis player Martina Navratilova, Padma Shri designer Wendell Rodricks, Apple CEO Tim Cook, 'Sir' Elton John, singer Ricky Martin, designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana or WWE wrestler Darren Young, these celebrated geniuses have all immensely contributed to the world through their work.

Section 377
Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was enforced enacted by the British colonial regime to criminalise 'carnal intercourse against the order of nature'. The section states that, "Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine." The section essentially criminalises gay sex, and has been bone of contention for years. It initially included just anal sex, while oral sex was included later.

It's not about sex, it's about dignity!
Filmmaker Sridhar Rangayan too said, "We want everyone to remember that this is not about sex or sexuality but about living with dignity as a human being. That is why we invite people who are not LGBTQ to join us in the march. By walking to show their support they will join hands with us on integration based on equality."

The first queer march
The first Queer Azaadi Mumbai march was initiated on August 16, 2008 with freedom from IPC section 377 (see box) as its theme. What began as a march marked by many masks and a few faces in in it its first avatar has seen the larger majority marching with no fear or shame about being queer.