Pride is always a fabulous party no matter where it’s held, but the thousands-strong crowd at Queer Azaadi Mumbai Pride March 2019 had extra cause for celebration: It was the first Mumbai Pride celebration since India’s Supreme Court decriminalized homosexuality by declaring section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unconstitutional.
“This is the first time I have participated in Mumbai Pride Parade,” Mr. Gay India 2019 Suresh Ramdas told The Times of India. “It’s crazy, fun, and colorful. I am especially excited because after the Section 377 went down, the atmosphere is really energetic.”
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Equal rights activist Harish Iyer, meanwhile, the country’s LGBTQ populations and their allies to continue the fight: “We have won the battle on Section 377, but there are many more to be won. We are not going to stop until we share equal rights with the heterosexuals … Quashing Section 377 was only one nail in this discriminatory coffin. There are many more that we need to hammer in and shut it once and for all.”
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Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
While the quest for equality continues, check out the rainbow-streaked photos of this year’s Queer Azaadi Mumbai Pride March in the gallery below.
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Kangol
Beautiful images and congrats to Mumbai’s & LGBTQ+ Indians!