LGBT Community And Supporters Ride For Pride In Delhi

In 2013, the Supreme Court reversed the Delhi High Court's order, dated July 2, 2009, which prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation. The date is since then celebrated every year among the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community as a legal victory for the group, even though the judicial system stands against it. Yesterday, members of the LGBT community and supporters of gay rights gathered in the capital to celebrate not just the legal triumph, but also their increasingly wide social acceptance among their fellow citizens.

To organise the ride, Scruff, an international dating site/app for the LGBT community, joined hands with ThoseInNeed.in, a collaboration of NGOs, volunteers and, of course, those in need. The gay community and their supporters grabbed a bite at the Lakshman Dhaba near the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade and rode to Hauz Khas Village. On the way, the group displayed messages of equality, waved the rainbow flags and released rainbow balloons.

Scruff founder and CEO, Eric Silverberg, said, “On behalf of SCRUFF, I’d like to thank all participants that joined the First Delhi Bike Pride as we commemorated a day of victory for the LGBTQIA community when Section 377 IPC was read down on July 2, 2009. Although the Supreme Court of India reversed that decision in 2013, this day continues to serve as a reminder that our community’s rights are worth fighting for, and SCRUFF supports initiatives that aim to advance equal LGBTQIA rights in India.”

Abhishek Saini, co-founder of Those In Need, said, “We are happy and thankful that the participants from the community and the allies came out while it rained heavily. The determination of the participants is worth to applaud for and that was something that made this landmark event possible. Hoping for more such collaborations between the LGBTQIA community and the allies for the struggle of equality to take a step ahead.”