Celebration most powerful form of protest,say queers

The women from Saheli,an autonomous feminist woman’s collective that is also part of voices against Article 377,believe that queer struggles are intrinsically linked to women’ struggles. Vani of Saheli said,”I think there is a very subtle difference in how people are articulating themselves. Before the judgment there was a sense of defiant in-your-face attitude,but now people appear to be negotiating things in a calmer manner. We are less defensive and more in a celebratory mode.”

However,Poonam from Nirantar,a group that works on gender and education,pointed out,“While one may be celebrating in metros,there are many LGBTI’s still facing a lot of violence and discrimination in smaller towns and villages and we have the death of professor Sirus in Aligarh to remind us that there is much to struggle for.” The event ended with a candle-light vigil.

In Queer Pride Keralam,Thrissur, over 200 people turned out to celebrate. It was the first visible gathering of queer people with rainbow flags being carried and transgendered people leading the march. “I am proud this has happened without any funding from outside the queer community. A lot of people were paying attention even though some were shocked and it is the first step to empower queer groups in Kerala,” says Deepa of Sayatrika,a queer rights group.

In Mumbai,the rain god smiled on people gathered in Azad Maidan. Anand Grover,an advocate supporting the cause of the LGBTI community,said,“This is a historic judgment. It is not trite to say this is the second independence. The case is being argued on the strength of article 14,16,19 and 21 — all these sections of IPC concern everybody in society. The movement must grow beyond the LGBTI community and its time to look outward at larger society.”