Legitimately gay and happy

Pune's Homosexuals are planning to hold a grand queer parade on Independence Day

The 3,500 odd members of the homosexual community in Pune are celebrating the Delhi High Court's landmark verdict which rules that any sex between consenting adults should be considered legal.

So upbeat is the atmosphere among the gay-lesbian and transgender Punekars that they are planning to hold a grand queer parade, the first of its kind in the Pune, and that too onu00a0 Independence Day.

Gay parade
Zameer Kamble, a playwright, who's is partying with friends in Mumbai to celebrate the historic ruling, said, "We'll be participating in Pune's queer parade which will be organised on August 15. Later, we'll join the gay parade in Mumbai u00a0on the following day."

Meanwhile, Sameer, a hairdresser from the city, said, "Though we are planning a queer parade, there are a lot of issues that will need some ironing out." Speaking about the way he plans to celebrate the ruling, Sameer said, "I'll be spending the evening with a group of friends where we'll pay tribute to those who have worked for our cause all these years."

For several homosexuals, yesterday's judgment is merely one battle won in their long war against widespread sexual bias.

Kapil, a transgendered individual, who's associated with Samapathik Trust, a NGO, said "I have been living with my partner for last seven years and people from for the neighborhood used to object to our decision. But now, after the ruling, we can stay together without worrying about anything."

While Bindumadhav Khire, president of Samapathik Trust, said, "It's commendable that the judges have now understood that denying homosexuals their right to express themselves sexually is in fact a gross violation of human rights."

When asked about the resentment of some fundamentalist groups and political parties on the verdict, members of the homosexual community in Pune told these reporters that they are more than willing to continue the fight.