Thousands demand freedom at 9th Delhi Queer Pride Parade

Advertorial
(Pic: Katejustknits / instagram)

(Pic: Katejustknits / Instagram)

The right of all people to live freely was the focus of Sunday’s ninth annual Delhi Queer Pride Parade.

The event saw thousands taking to the street of India’s capital city in the late afternoon clad in colourful outfits and waving rainbow flags and balloons to show their support for the LGBTIQ community.

While the mood was largely celebratory, serious issues were not forgotten, with participants holding placards with messages such as: “If some of us are not free, none of us are free”, “Queer and proud” and “I stand with my trans sister”.

The event’s organisers said that the parade aimed to reflect “rage and resistance against the discrimination and oppression of trans, lesbian, gay, bisexual, intersex, and the many gender and sexual non-conforming folks”.

While they called for the repeal of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises homosexuality, they also demanded equality for women and all minorities, and condemned nationalists, right wingers and the silencing of free expression and dissent.

“We assert that our pride is inextricably tied to a broader demand for freedom and dignity for all,” the organisers said in a statement.

(Pic: ruth.pollard / instagram)

(Pic: Ruth.pollard / Instagram)

Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code punishes “whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal” with imprisonment for life.

In October, it was revealed that 1,491 people were arrested in 2015 under the law, although it remains unclear how many of these were arrested specifically for consensual same-sex activity.

In 2013, the Indian Supreme Court shocked the world when it overturned a ground breaking 2009 ruling by the Delhi High Court that repealed Section 377.

The Supreme Court has since agreed to consider a petition requesting a review of the ruling to decriminalise sex between consenting adults of the same sex.

At the #DelhiPride march in downtown Delhi, loads of fabulous queer folk marching for their rights in the afternoon sun, a small security presence is on the sidelines (so far). #equality #respect #LGBTQ #delhigram

A photo posted by Ruth Pollard (@ruth.pollard) on

Possibly the cutest guys at #delhipride #delhigram #respect #equality #LGBTQ #India #march #protest

A photo posted by Ruth Pollard (@ruth.pollard) on

#delhi#delhipride#gaypride#proud#gay#delhigay#homo#homolove#queer#rainbow

A photo posted by Pc (@purushnprakriti) on

Get the Mamba Newsletter

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Send this to a friend