New Delhi, A huge rainbow balloon arch overlooked Delhi’s Tolstoy Marg, as thousands of members of the LGBTQ+ community marched down to celebrate the 11th Delhi Queer Pride Parade.
It is the first queer parade to be held after the apex court read down the Section 377 in a historic verdict on September 6 this year, legalising consensual gay sex between consenting adults.
Amid slogans and placards like “Rainbow not Saffron”, “Homosexuality is not a choice but homophobia is” and “Love is love”, the community celebrated their sexual and gender identities freely.
Finally armed with the freedom to love, the queer community was also sure to be vocal about the new-found ‘aazadi’, as was heard in many marching groups.
Donning colourful attires, painted faces, and lustrous masks, most of the participants carried rainbow pride flags and balloons. What resounded the most, however, was a simple, powerful message layered with many meanings in today’s India: “Happy Pride”.