Just over two months ago, they were fighting for freedom; now, they fight for the right to hold on to it. The Delhi HC verdict reading down article 377 of the IPC which penalised consensual non-penovaginal sex may have been considered a landmark decision, but how much of a difference has this really brought to the LGBT community of India?

The fight has been on for years and it still continues for this minority group of the world. The amount of insensitive negativity and maltreatment the LGBTs receive are proof of how rampantly inequality is practiced in the civilised modern world. Even at a time when the fight must be against painful and deathly diseases, ignorant people continue to fight against LGBTs whom they perceive as unnatural, when this is merely another natural expression of love. Though pride marches are generally held at the end of June of every year to commemorate Stonewall Day, the Queer Azadi March of Bombay has been held on 16th of August as a reminder for the nation that there are still people in the country who don’t have the joy of freedom.

The pride march of Bombay is the first that has been held in India since homosexuality was decriminalised and the mixed emotions of the community was expressed in all rainbow glory at the parade. Champion of the community, beautiful Celina Jaitley, joined the parade again this year with Ashok Row Kavi of Humsafar Trust and the ‘Gay Prince’ in tow. The committee that organised the parade had greatly encouraged non-LGBTs to join in the days (and months) that led to the parade and this was obvious in the numerous ‘I’m here to support’ placards that were seen. Although the Hijra community appeared to be the largest, this year’s parade also had more lesbian and bisexual participants to represent the rest of the family.

Hopefully, the Queer Azadi March 2009 opened many hateful and frightful closet doors and the closed eyes of as many ignorant people. If it eased the pain of even one pink individual and educated a homophobe, the pride parade has accomplished what it set out to do in my view.

Check out more pictures of the Bombay Queer Azadi March 2009 by Firoze Shakir.

Via: GayBombay/DesiCritics