Photos: Sec 377 Quit India, Cries LGBTQ Community at Mumbai Pride

Mumbai’s Pride March 2018 was bigger, bolder, louder and more colourful than ever before.

Glimpses from Mumbai’s Pride March. 

(Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

Glimpses from Mumbai’s Pride March 2018. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

Members of Mumbai’s LGBTQI community walked the streets of the city for their annual ‘Pride March’ on 3 February 2018. The theme of the parade was ‘Section 377 Quit India’ calling for a second movement to completely do away with the section of the Indian Penal Code which criminalises sexual acts ‘against nature.’ Interestingly, this is the 10th Pride March in Mumbai and the 75th year of the Quit India Movement.

The march began from August Kranti Maidan, where significantly, Mahatma Gandhi called for the first Quit India movement. It was the culmination of a month’s worth of events for the LGBT community including plays, fashion shows, badminton matches, street performances, parties and more. All of this was organised by Queer Azadi Mumbai, a platform for individuals and organisations that advocate for the rights of the LGBTQI community.

I identify as female, male and pansexual. I’m marching because people are so far from even beginning to understand how that can be. Everything I do or talk about becomes about my gender, and I’m sick of it. I’m marching because it’s my life and at the end, love is love.

A protestor at the Mumbai Pride March 2018

Apart from the very confident, provocative and free loving LGBTQI community and its supporters, special protestors included a group called Sweekar, formed by parents of LGBTQI children; a group called ‘Jai Bhim’ that fights for queer rights of Dalits, Adivasis and Seenagars; and a group of older gay men who came to march and share their experience of depression and loneliness. Many foreign nationals also joined the march, adding an international appeal to the event.

The march included differently-abled people, with sign language interpreters and cabs to ferry them to and from the Pride venue. Last year’s march in Mumbai saw 14,000 protestors and while the final numbers are yet to be declared, this year’s event seemed even bigger, louder and vibrant.

Protestors engage with the crowd with loud cries of “Azadi!” (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

Protestors holding their end of the rainbow flag. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

Glimpses from Mumbai’s Pride March 2018. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

Protestors take a break during the Mumbai Pride March 2018. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

Faces and expressions from Mumbai’s Pride March 2018. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

People of all ages, genders, sexualities and professions came together to march on 3 February in Mumbai for the Queer Azadi March. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

“My name is Siddy, but you can call me b*t*h.” (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

The Rainbow flag flies high during the Pride March. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

People carry the giant LGBTQI rainbow flag at the Mumbai Pride Parade 2018. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

Glimpses from Mumbai’s Pride March 2018. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

“I want to ask him when our issue becomes important enough for him?”(Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

Glimpses from Mumbai’s Pride March 2018. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint) 

Glimpses from Mumbai’s Pride March 2018. (Photo: Pallavi Prasad/The Quint)