A gay man is given two years of electroshock therapy in a major city hospital to “cure” him — the National Human Rights Commission refuses to file a complaint. A 2004 book on queer politics sees 34 contributors write under their full names, many for the first time. Lesbian women continue to commit suicide rather than be forcibly married. Large sections of the media openly support campaigns against Sec 377 — the 1861 law that criminalises “unnatural offences” — and widely carry an open letter written by Vikram Seth and Amartya Sen against the law. The law still stands over the head of the gay community, but the challenge to it in the Delhi High Court inches towards a verdict. Meanwhile, aravanis (as hijras are known in Tamil Nadu) win a landmark battle for the legal right to have government identification cards and passports issued under “E” as their gender.

Sunday’s three-city queer pride march comes at a curious time for sexuality and rights in India. Changes over the last decade have been dramatic: a movement has emerged, rights have been advanced, attitudes (at least in urban India) are changing. Changed enough, at least, for a group of individuals to come together and find that there is desire, capacity and support to pull off Delhi’s first pride parade. There is no doubt that this is a milestone. But of what? In some ways, little has changed — the law, prejudice, fear, and violence still line the fabric of everyday life of most queer people. The march ends in a vigil — cautious celebration is inevitably tied to sobering reflection on the Indian version of Pride.

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