The Namma Pride march is returning to the city on Sunday. It will be held from the KSR Bengaluru railway station to Town Hall.
The march is held every year to campaign for equal rights for the members of the queer community.
The past two editions were low key because of the pandemic restrictions. But this year, Coalition for Sex workers, Sexual & Sexuality Minorities’ Rights, which comprises many LGBTQ and allied groups and individuals, has been running sensitisation and celebratory events at different venues since the beginning of November.
They have so far held a potluck, movie screening, poster-making activity, badminton tournament, meetup with families of the LGBTQIA+ members, discussions on polyamory and chemsex (consumption of drugs to facilitate/enhance sex), fundraiser, fitness session, and events to remember activists who have fought for the cause and transgender persons they have lost to transphobia.
A poetry event, and a fair for queer entrepreneurs will be held in the run-up to the march.
While some strides have been made on the front of LGBTQIA+ rights, much remains to be done, says Ayaan Syed, who is the organiser of the Namma Pride march committee. This year, the queer community is demanding: More sensitisation programmes on gender and sexuality across public and private sectors; a gender-sensitive juvenile justice policy; implementation of the Karnataka State Policy of Transgenders, 2017; enforcement of employment and anti-discrimination laws and robust redressal systems as directed by the Transgender Person’s (Protection of Rights) Act 2019; compulsory sexual identity.
Ayaan says, “The pride march is both a protest and celebration. It is a protest against the violence and discrimination the community faces and a commemoration of our sexuality and gender identity.”
*Look up nammapride on Instagram for details.
Calendar
November 25: Shabda, an open-mic poetry session at Atta Galatta, Indiranagar, from 5 pm to 8 pm.
November 26: Diversity fair, a fair of queer entrepreneurs from 11 am to 8 pm at Samsa Bayalu Ranga Mandira, Sampangi Rama Nagar.
November 27: Pride march will start from KSR Bengaluru railway station at 2 pm and end at Town hall at 6 pm. Cultural events at Samsa Bayalu Ranga Mandira from 6 pm.