Gay march demands ‘freedom’

“Hum sab alag hain fir bhi ek hain,” the chanting of slogan through the march by people summed up the reason for which thousands had gathered. The Gay Pride Parade or the Queer Azadi March held on Sunday witnessed over 1,000 members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and allied who had come in support for their social acceptance.

Dressed in ethnic costumes, wearing feather caps and carrying flags that identified the queer community, the crowd opposed the petition in the supreme court that indents to strike down the July 2 Delhi High Court order that decriminalised gay sex by holding the section 377 unconstitutional, which made consenting sex between two adults a crime.

“I am here because we want to tell people that section 377 is illegal and in violation of human rights,” said Deepak Patil, a gay for 32 years. “Back in 1978 we were banned from social life and there was no space for us. It is not just about legal issues. We feel that there has to be a social acceptance about it too. We want issues like gay marriages, adoption and succession to be brought into the parameters of normal communication too.”

“There are a few people who may be open with it, but it is no better now too. My parents do not know yet of me being a gay. I wasn’t here last year because I was not confident. People in the world are not aware of just how big the number of gay community is. We are here to show support and lend voice to our rights,” said Raja Bagga, 21 year old banker who was part of the parade.

Anand Grover of Lawyer’s Collective, who fought the case at the High Court said, “Police are prosecuting gay sex and that is what we want to stop.”

Calling gay sex a matter of pride, Ashok Raw Kavi of Humsafar Trust said, “The parade is an exhibition of our pride and the choice we have made. We have chosen to do it a day after Independence Day because we seek our independence too.”