Thousands in Delhi take to streets to march for Queer Pride Parade

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Nov 28, 2016: Thousands of activists from LGBTQ community danced to drum beats and held colorful balloons as they marched in a parade in New Delhi on Sunday, celebrating the ninth annual Delhi Queer Pride Parade as the diversity of gender and sexuality and vouching for equal rights. The march kicked off from Barakhamba Road and went on to Jantar Mantar.

Activists had cheered in 2009 when the New Delhi High Court declared as unconstitutional Section 377 of the Penal Code, which criminalizes homosexual acts. But the judgment was overturned four years later when India’s Supreme Court decided that amending or repealing Section 377 should be left to Parliament, not the judiciary.The law makes gay sex punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Over the past decade, homosexuals have gained a degree of acceptance in India, especially in big cities. Many bars have gay nights, and some high-profile Bollywood films have dealt with gay issues. Still, being gay is seen as shameful in most of the country, and many homosexuals remain closeted.