Marine Drive breaks into ‘queer’ jig

As hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people broke into a Bollywood-style jig along Marine Drive on Tuesday evening, several onlookers were taken by surprise. But after the initial awe wore off, many bystanders, irrespective of their sexual orientation, joined what is now being touted as the country’s first gay-themed flash mob.

Organised by the Queer Azadi Mumbai (QAM), a collective of LGBT individuals and organisations in the city, the flash mob was among the various activities leading up to the annual ‘gay pride march’ on January 28. The performance, which lasted for a few minutes, was followed by much slogan-shouting and the sharing of details for upcoming events during the week.

“The idea was to garner attention for the cause of LGBT rights and to also encourage heterosexuals to show us some support,” said gay rights activist Harish Iyer.

He kept shouting out to the crowd: “I am gay”, and the people responded with: “It’s okay!”

Some last-minute participants insisted that they had never had so much fun in their lives. “We kept dancing even after the music died down,” said Colaba resident Reema Barua, who had come for a stroll down the promenade.

Activists felt that the event was a success, considering the turnout and the response. Even getting the mandatory permission for assembly and loudspeakers at Marine Drive was a piece of cake.