Thousands marched in hopes of gaining societal acceptance and making the existence of queer community evident, Mumbai witnessed a colourful display of Queer Pride March. The streets were flooded with people adorned in rainbow-themed attire, symbolizing freedom and the right to choose. Slogans like 'Love is love' and 'I am Gay, That’s OK' reverberated through the air.
Commencing from August Kranti Maidan, Grant Road, the march traversed Nana Chowk, Frere Bridge, Lamington Road, Gajanan Vartak Chowk, Paluskar Chowk, and Kennedy Bridge, covering a distance of 2.5 km before circling back to August Kranti Maidan. At least 2500 people enthusiastically walked with rainbow flags and placards, as per the organizers of March. Everyone dolled up in rainbow colours. He, she, they, them- all were making statements through their dressing. Laughing, smiling, hugging, dancing, and screaming. The event began with participants raising awareness about the queer community through slogans and concluded with a loud recitation of the preamble, emphasizing equality.
Yash Sharma, a queer influencer and founder of the Official Human of Queer Instagram Handle, expressed the need for societal acceptance, stating, "We are legal citizens, but we don't have rights like marriage equality, laws related to harassment and abuse, horizontal reservation, and many such. That is something the pride wants to showcase – legally, whatever is happening, but socially, we need acceptance." Another participant Sumit Pawar, a queer activist, emphasized the importance of visibility, stating, "People think this is a Westernized concept, but today, being here, all I am trying to say is we are part of India. A lot of times, people say we did not see queer people, so we are here to say look at us; we exist in schools, colleges, workplaces."
Mumbai Queer Pride (MQP) organizer Saurabh Bondre highlighted, "Pride was all about giving voice to the sexual minority, making a conversation about our existence, about equal rights, and peacefully protesting for them. This is a celebration but also an effort to fight for our rights." The intention behind Pride was to conduct a peaceful march protesting against anything that comes in the way of guaranteeing full equality to all the citizens of the country, according to the organizer.
The march included participants from various embassies and consulates, signifying international support for the cause. Netherland Consulate Thierry said, “I am happy to be part of such humongous pride, it gives the power to express and not feel different, provides a feeling of normalcy." Actor Sushant Divgikar, known as Rani Ko-HE-Nur, noted the significance of this year's event after a four-year hiatus. "This Pride returns stronger and with a clearer message," she said. The last pride march was held in 2019, due to difficulty in obtaining police permissions and the pandemic put the march on pause in the following years.
LokmatTimes.com spoke to individuals attending the pride who shared their coming-out experiences. Jyothi, a podcast producer identifying as lesbian, described her experience said, "Coming out was not difficult as I kept dropping hints to my parents and family. Those hints included talking passionately about my girlfriends, telling them how I feel, and more. Eventually, they took it, and those hints also included explanations to my parents about what LGBTQ is all about and how I am part of it."
Vikrant Singh had a similar story to tell. He said, "After 30 years, I came out to my parents on Diwali, and I just felt ready to do that. When I came out their responses were a bit biased, like- you never told us, we could have taken you to a doctor. Eventually, coming out of the closet meant that parents going into the closet as society forced them to. I told them I am a normal guy, it is just that I am attracted to males more than women. It took time but they came around and it is good to live authentically."
The Mumbai Pride, while a peaceful march, also carried political significance, advocating for equal rights while celebrating diversity. According to MQP organizers, pride stands for the right to be safe and protected against discrimination, abuse, and violence, with strong anti-discrimination and anti-violence laws. It calls for the setting up of functional Welfare Boards and Councils promised in the Section 377 Judgment of 2018 by the Supreme Court of India, aiming to end the stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV and provide them access to healthcare, education, employment, and housing.