Gay yeah!

After three metros – New Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata – it’s now Mumbai’s turn. Sexual minorities and the ‘Lesbians, Gays, Bisexual and Transvestites’ (LGBT) communities are coming together to have the city’s largest gay parade ever on August 16, a day after India’s Independence Day.


Though other metros stole a march over the city in commemorating the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York, the city’s gay parade is to show that they have yet not attained freedom. Says gay activist and ‘Humsafar’ Chairperson, Ashok Row Kavi, “This parade aims to tell people that we exist too, and have not yet attained freedom, even after six decades of India’s independence. We have chosen August Kranti Maidan for obvious reasons, though we are awaiting police permissions. The Quit India movement took off from here. We are also asking Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code to “Quit India” and set us free.”

History has it that the August Kranti Maidan is from where Mahatma Gandhi gave the ‘Quit India’ call, setting the wheels in motion for India’s independence in 1947. Members of the gay community agree that this is apt for them to start their march towards freedom, pride and dignity. Exact route of the march is yet to be finalised with police permissions.

Explains Nitin Karani, Trustee, ‘Humsafar’ and Member, ‘Queer Azaadi Planning Committee’, which is the key organiser for this parade, “A number of marchers, sexuality groups and gay rights groups are participating in this parade. In all, 10 sexuality and gay rights groups are participating in the parade, approximately 700 people, including others, who support our cause, such as NGOs, friends, families and doctors too, who would be present and will also be a part of this parade.”

Says event organiser and lesbian rights activist, Geeta Kumana, of the organisations ‘Aanchal’ and ‘Infosem’, “This parade is to show people that we are very much visible in the city and are not hiding in the closet. We are here to celebrate the fact that we are LGBT and demand freedom from the British archaic law, which has been scrapped even in Britain, yet continues as a yoke of the British rule on Indians.”

Adds Sridhar Rangayan, maker of films revolving around gay themes, “All over the world, ‘Pride March’ that gays have is to celebrate their identity. However, in Mumbai, it symbolises our protest of not having the freedom to live with dignity – something that we are yearning for, for a long time now.”

kinjal.shah@timesgroup.com

What the law states

Chapter XVI, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code a piece of legislation in India used to criminalise homosexual activity introduced during British rule of India. It is also commonly referred to as the ‘Anti-sodomy Law’.

This Section 377, which Lord Macaulay drafted in 1860, as a part of the colonial project of regulating and controlling the Indian subject reads, Unnatural sexual offences – Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment, which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine.

Explanation – Penetration is sufficient to constitute the carnal intercourse necessary to the offence described in this section.

Motive of this parade

This parade is an attempt to shed off the restraints of an outdated legal system. The term ‘queer’ is meant to unite people of alternative or non-heterosexual sexualities. And, this parade intends in getting at least a dozen dissimilar human rights and advocacy organisations towards a common goal.