The Indian state of Goa has held its very first Rainbow Pride Parade on the streets of Panaji, attracting dozens of locals and visitors over the weekend.
The event was organised as a way to draw attention to the need for improved LGBT+ rights in the country.
“We hope this walk will get rid of homophobia in some way,” event organiser Alexander Fernandes told It’s Goa ahead of the march.
“We want people to know that we are not harmful or ‘bad people’. We deserve respect like anyone else, and that we too have human rights.”
The event page requested that people not dress in political or religious costumes that would offend the Goa community.
“We have a large LGBT community in Goa, but most prefer to stay under the scanner since it’s a very small place and everyone knows each other,” said another event organiser Diana Daias.
“However, we are trying to create more awareness now.”
Daias told the Times of India that Goa was more inclusive and accepting go the LGBT+ community than other states, adding that the parade was also about providing information to relatives.
"We also want to educate parents,” she said. “They may not know about the depression their child may be going through because of their sexuality or gender…”
“This walk can help them speak openly about their gender and issues they face. We’re trying to show the state that we have a community here," she said.
Currently, same-sex sexual activity is illegal in India under section 377 of the country’s colonial-era penal law. While the section was decriminalised in 2009, that ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court just four years later.
A recent landmark ruling declared that LGBT+ people had the right to live in privacy—with some saying this could signal the definite end of Section 377.
Monica Jensen—a tourist visiting from Sweden—told The Times of India she took part in the march because her daughter is gay and she wanted to show her support for the community.
“In Sweden they can even get married and have equal rights like everybody else,” she said.
“People blame the courts, but they can only follow the law. The law needs to be changed. How can you say people are not worth it because of their sexual orientation?”
