This year's Pride to stand for repeal of AFSPA

This year when thousands who live under the colourful shadow of the LGBTQIA umbrella walk hand in hand to celebrate their sexualities from Barakhamba, they will also walk for the conflict-hit in Kashmir, those at the receiving end of the army in Manipur, Dalits and other minorities. As part of their demands, the Delhi Queer Pride Committee will be speaking for the repeal of discriminative section 377 of the IPC, of the repeal of AFSPA, and will also ask the government to withdraw the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016.    

Rituparna Borah of the DQPC said that the pride walk will also mark a protest for the brutal killing of transgender activist Tara, who was burnt to death. “We also demand that there should be a proper implementation of the NALSA judgement. And, that the atrocities on minorities in the nationalism be brought to an end,” said Borah. 

Like every year, the Pride will kick off from the corner of Barakhambha Road and Tolstoy Marg in Central Delhi at 3pm. People with special needs, and those who will not be able to walk the whole stretch will be provided with battery-operated cars. 

In a first, the Parade this will be joined by the Indian Aces, the only-known asexual community in India. Grace, the founder of the group, said that the forming of the organisation late last year has led to them joining the Parade. “We would go in our individual capacities earlier,” said Grace.  

Kabeer, a transman living in Delhi, said that he is thankful for the Pride. “It is perhaps the only time of the year when transmen come out. Many live with the fear of not ever being taken seriously -- several women who undergo the transition of female to male acquire the male ego at some point, and think that it is better for them to stay indoors and identify as men,” said Kabeer, who says he had a hard time coming out to his single mom who lives in Lucknow. “I still do not go to my hometown.”