The colourful march drew large crowds that
seemed amused by the sight of cross-dressers and transvestites in their
halter-neck tops, spaghetti straps, mini skirts and garish make-up.
But some 300 gay rights activists ignored the unsympathetic stares and comments and walked on silently, at times stopping only to hand out fliers that spoke of the need to recognise homosexuality. "This march is to tell the civil society about people like us, that we exist in this society and that homosexuals are among our brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, friends, neighbours... everywhere," Rafiquel Haque Dowjah, the chief of gay advocacy group Integration Society, said. In India, homosexuality is a crime according to a law framed by the British colonial rulers. But many gay and lesbian groups are beginning to speak out and challenge the law. Gay groups are active mostly in more culturally open societies in Mumbai and Bangalore, but traditional cities such as Kolkata are also witnessing homosexuals stand up for their rights. Dowjah said the march, called the Walk On The Rainbow, marked the Stonewall Riots of June 27, 1969 when homosexuals in New York decided to fight back police raids on gay joints. The protests marked the launch of concerted gay rights movements across the world. "The march marks the Stonewall Riots, but our larger aim is to tell people here we exist," says Anindya Hazra, a member of a city-based gay advocacy group. "There has been a significant change in that we have been able to create a space in people's mind since the first march in 1999." "Sexuality is a private matter and the state has no business in determining our sexual orientation," according to Sumana Dey, a student who said she was a bisexual. Many elderly passers-by, some returning from their morning walks, looked with disdain at the marchers. "How can the government allow all this? This is a democratic country all right, but isn't homosexuality banned?" asked Pratul Banerjee, a 67-year-old retired bank employee. Some accused the gay activists of trying to corrupt young minds and ruining the social fabric. "What will our children learn from this? Most of the people in that group don't look respectable even," said Joydeb Bhattacharya, an elderly man returning from his walk from a nearby park. Some sex workers also joined the march. "We support their cause because there are lesbian sex workers as well," said Sudipta Biswas, a former sex worker now in her mind-40s. A posse of policemen walked along with the marchers to avoid trouble. Group Site: http://www.gaybombay.info ========================== NEW CLASSIFIEDS SECTION SEEKING FRIENDS? VISIT www.gaybombay.info click on classified section and type your message in the post section once the link opens What's hot? What's not? Where are the LGBT parties being held and when? Click here!! http://calendar.yahoo.com/YYY,04497/srt,0/gaybombaygroup/?v=42&POS=
Yahoo! Groups Links
|
