The legacy of Pride parades in India

Despite being a Gen Zer thriving in the ‘woke’ digital age, conversations about Pride often lack the ubiquitous excitement one might expect. So much so that phrases like “I’m so excited for this year's Pride!” are frequently met with, “Really? What goes on at a Pride parade?”

Now whether you live amidst a regressive diaspora or are simply curious about attending a Pride parade, here's what you need to know. Picture a sky filled with flags soaring freely in the air. Imagine hundreds of people around you singing, chanting, and performing, but most importantly, being unapologetically themselves. Everywhere you look, you are reminded that while many things in society need fixing, loving whomever you wish is one of the most natural and beautiful aspects of life.

You hear the symphony of laughter and an adage to individuality—a place where everyone wears what expresses them the best, without the fear of judgement, revelling in the love of liberation! A reverie of expression, inclusion, and finding a community, Pride parades are all but a kaleidoscope of finding your own voice and celebrating it with thousands of others. It is a festival like no other, inviting all races, religions, castes, genders, and identities. It is a festival for humanity and a celebration of life.

However, what is now synonymous with celebration and community echoes a legacy of numerous protestors who lost their lives in the struggle against regression, protests, and riots. It is their courage that gave the rainbow flag its bold colours, shaping Pride into the community it is today. To honour them, the month of June has been internationally recognised as Pride Month, encompassing all LGBTQIA+ events and parades worldwide.

This Pride month, we explore the Pride parades in India, which have become icons of rebellion, paving the way for the community as it stands today.

The first gay Pride event in the world

The legend of nascence goes back to June 28, 1969, when the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Manhattan was raided by the police. This was a common occurrence back in the day, but what was unusual was the reaction of the clubgoers who revolted against it. This marked the first significant act of defiance by the LGBTQIA+ community. This uprising served as an outlet for the community to voice their discontent against the decades of systematic hatred and oppression they had endured.

A year later, the first gay Pride event was held to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall raid and to honour those who participated in the riots. Originally titled the Christopher Street Liberation Day March (named after the street on which Stonewall is located), the event marked the beginning of what we now know as Pride parades, emerging from a history fraught with adversity.

On June 28, 1970, New York’s once-timid gay men and women galvanised into rebellious fighters who took this audacious step of courage. What started as a plan to commemorate the fighters transformed into a parade down Hollywood Boulevard. An aberration at the time, the account of the first Pride parade was narrated by Fred Sargeant in 2010 through his first-person experience in The Village Voice. Unlike today's parades with floats and music, the early parade was marked by chants and banners. The oppressed marched with soaring spirits, chanting, "Say it clear, say it loud. Gay is good, gay is proud." This event became the vanguard for Pride celebrations worldwide.

On to the parades!

What was once called marches has now come to be known as parades. In 1974, four years after the inception of LGBTQIA+ events, Los Angeles hosted the first official parade sanctioned by the city, as opposed to the marches orchestrated in the previous years. It was this parade that marked the transition to a carnival-like atmosphere, celebrated with rides, games, food, and information booths. This festival became a catalyst for sexual liberation, leading to the creation of Personal Rights in Defence and Education (PRIDE). 

Pride comes to the city of Kolkata as a Friendship Walk

The trailblazing journey of gay liberation commenced in India on July 2, 1999, when the queer rights activist Pawan Dhall, along with just 14 others, led the first Pride walk in India. Donning bright yellow t-shirts with pink triangles, a symbol emblematic of the LGBTQIA+ community at the time, the walk was organised as an appendage to the Pride movement that was already unfolding in the USA. Despite the criminalisation of homosexuality, 15 people came together and stood for more than they could fathom at the time.

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Dhall and a few others recounted how the “Friendship Walk” was conceived to seemingly put forth an indifferent front to the media so as to avoid any backlash. Queer Indians covertly found each other through mailing lists and Yahoo groups to float the idea of implied Pride. What felt like a minor ripple back then sparked widespread conversation, proliferating amidst the masses. A testament to their resounding intrepid spirit, Mr Khan remarked, “Fifteen was a modest number, but at least one needed two hands to count them.”

The Queer Azaadi March, the rally that fostered the decriminalisation of homosexuality

Queer activists took to the streets of Mumbai on August 16, 2005, marking the first conspicuous sign of activism by the community. The onset of rebellion was rather tumultuous as witnessed by the erection of a temporary structure. What seemed like a battle cry from the Mumabikers entailed everything from getting allies to sign petitions for queer rights to shouting slogans, and even a ceremonial candlelight vigil to commemorate all those who were lost. 

This uprising led various organisations like the Humsafar Trust, to join the community and help gather momentum. Three years later, on August 16, 2008, the first official Queer Azadi Mumbai march was held, echoing a unanimous cry for freedom from the community and its allies. Within a year, a historic milestone was achieved when the Delhi High Court passed the landmark judgement, decriminalising homosexuality under Section 377 of the IPC.

2017: A Year for reclamation, resilience, and repeal

The 2017 Pride parade in India went beyond mere representation; the reason for the convergence of protestors was multifold. The primary motive was to fight the reinstatement of Section 377 by the Supreme High Court in 2013 after it had been previously overturned by the Delhi High Court in 2009. This parade prompted the triumphant celebrations in 2018, marking the downfall of Section 377 and allowing the LGBTQIA+ community to march freely again.

Additionally, the parade condemned the proposed Transgender Persons Bill 2016 and demanded its withdrawal. Demonstrators symbolically burned copies of the bill to emphasize their demand for annulment. A protest preceded the parade as the community observed the Transgender Day of Rage. With the highest turnout ever for the parade, 2017 was indeed a year to be revered by the Indian queer community. 

Feature image credit: Unsplash 

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