Proud and out

If you've attended the Queer Azaadi March in the past, you're likely to know that a large part of the parade is marked by protests. But this time around, the mood was proud, loud and celebratory with people turning up in droves to attend the first pride march post the decriminalisation of Section 377 by the Supreme Court.

The event started at 3 pm on Saturday afternoon at August Kranti Maidan and wound its way through Nana Chowk, Lamington Road and finally culminated at Opera House. While the turnout was estimated to be approximately 10,000 last year, this time it was close to 20,000.

Among the people who turned up was Sameer Samudra, who leads the customer support of corporate company Cummins India, which has an active employee resource group for LGBTQi employees. Here with his husband, Amit Gokhale, whom he married in the US, Samudra is attending the Mumbai march for the first time. "While it's a moment to celebrate, changing people's hearts and minds is going to take time, which is why I decided to be here with my husband and colleagues," says Samudra, who has been with Gokhale for the last 19 years. The two met on a dating app.

Sameer Samudra with husband Amit Gokhale at the march. Pics/Atul Kamble

"While my marriage is recognised in America, here, I have no marriage and adoption rights. This needs to change," he adds. Unlike Samudra, who was with his clique, Nayab Ahmed Siddiqui from Allahabad, was a lone wolf who stood out for his placard. Not mincing words, the board read, 'Ex-Muslim and queer facing Islamophobia'.

"There's no queer community to speak of in Allahabad, so you can imagine what it might be for a man like me, Muslim and gay, to come out. I'm here to provide support to those like me," said Siddiqui. For many, the event provided a platform to address a larger social malaise - discrimination against the community and the controversial Transgender Persons Bill. Rights activist Urmi Jadhav, who was here to celebrate as well as highlight the issue, says the community is continuing to protest. "The community is not happy, because I don't think anybody from the frat was consulted," she says.

Neil Martis, 25, from Malad, says he came out to his mother after the verdict, but was met with disapproval. "When I broke the news, she stormed out," he says. But the resistance has thawed. He adds, "She may not have accepted me yet, but I do feel free to finally be myself."

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