NEW DELHI: A huge rainbow balloon arch overlooked Delhi’s Tolstoy Marg, as thousands of members of the LGBTQ+ community marched to celebrate the 11th Delhi Queer Pride Parade.
It was the first such parade to be held after the Supreme Court read down Section 377 in a historic verdict on September 6 this year, legalising gay sex between consenting adults.
Amid slogans and placards reading “Rainbow not Saffron”, “Homosexuality is not a choice but homophobia is”, and “Love is love”, the community celebrated its sexual and gender identities freely.
The community was vocal about its new-found ‘aazadi’, as was heard from many of the 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”.