Indian gays and lesbians march for their rights http://www.gg2.net/viewnews.asp? nid=2698&tid=breaking_news&catid=Breaking%20News GG2.NET NEWS [27/06/2005]
NEARLY 100 gays and lesbians made a rare march through the streets of Kolkata in India on Sunday to push for their acceptance in a country where homosexuality is still officially illegal. The march was held to coincide with the 1969 Stonewall Riots in the United States, a series of violent confrontations between homosexuals and police officers in New York. The Kolkata activists, many wearing dazzling outfits and red lipstick, held aloft rainbow flags and banners that read "Let us love and be loved" and "We want your compassion and sympathy to realise our demand for social acceptability," as they marched through the eastern Indian city. "We are not alone. We are not afraid," shouted the group as hundreds of Kolkata residents looked on. Activist Nandini Nag said the procession aimed to increase acceptability and awareness about gays and lesbians. "Basically, ours is a hidden culture in the society," said Nag, 35. The march marked the third time in as many years that Kolkata gays commemorated the Stonewall Riots. Gay activist Animesh Roy said people in the past used to slam their doors on them but now many were showing a "curious interest" in their lives. "People should know we are not just a merry-making lot. We are creative like others," said Roy, 37, a college professor. Gays and lesbians also organised a film festival highlighting their problems, which drew hundreds of men and women, an activist said. "The success of the film festival shows that people are becoming tolerant towards the lesbians, gays, trans-genders and bi-sexuals," organiser Rafiquel Haque Dowjah said. However, some Kolkata residents still had reservations on gays and lesbians coming out of the closet. "The government should immediately ban such things," said Aparna Dutta, a housewife who rushed away her teenage son from her house window as the group went by. "They are out to ruin our children," she said. "I don`t want my son to see this and ask me questions about unusual guys." Manik Ray, an ex-army officer, said the authorities should not have allowed the procession and called the marchers "still unwanted in the society." The Indian law on homosexuality was enacted by British colonial rulers in 1860 and prescribes up to 10 years` imprisonment, a fine, or both, for anyone found guilty of "carnal intercourse against the order of nature." Although the law is rarely enforced, its existence remains a source of irritation and anxiety for gays and lesbians. Last year, an Indian court threw out a petition that sought to overturn the law making homosexuality a punishable offence. While there are few open homosexual communities in India, Mumbai and the southern hi-tech hub Bangalore enjoy reputations as relatively hospitable to gays and lesbians ********************************************* Gays, lesbians march in Kolkata M Chhaya in Kolkata | June 26, 2005 20:44 IST Dressed in gaudy, revealing clothes, about 250 gays, lesbians and transvestites walked through a busy thoroughfare in Kolkata demanding rights for sexual minorities in India. Though homosexuality is banned in India, dozens of policemen watched over the marchers without interfering with them. Gay and lesbian couples held hands, hugged, kissed and sang songs without caring about snide remarks from curious onlookers. They even posed for photographers. "We don't care what people have to say -- people of the so-called mainstream society," said Filomina Kataria, a law student who walked alongside her lesbian partner. The marchers gave out handbills and urged passersby to join the procession. "We want people from all sections of the society to support our cause," said Amitava Karwa, an IT industry worker. "We are marching for our rights and to mark the Stonewall Riots Day," said Sangita Mondal, one of the organisers of the march. The Stonewall riots of the 1960s in New York had sparked off the gay and lesbian movement in the United States and the day is observed by homosexual groups worldwide. "Through this march we want to tell the world we exist," said Teesta, a 27-year-old student. Several people in the crowd of onlookers asked the police to breakup the march. "How can you allow all this perversion to take place publicly? Isn't it banned?" asked Sipra Sonali Das, a housewife accompanying her son back from school. The marchers sang We Shall Overcome and held posters denouncing the anti-homosexuality law. Group Site: http://www.gaybombay.info ========================== This message was posted to the gay_bombay Yahoo! Group. Responses to messages (by clicking "Reply") will also be posted on the eGroup and sent to all members. If you'd like to respond privately to the author of any message then please compose and send a new email message to the author's email address. Post:- gay_bombay@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Digest Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] No Mail Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Individual Mail Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contact Us:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Archives are at http://www.mail-archive.com/gay_bombay%40yahoogroups.com/maillist.html Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gay_bombay/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
