Parading acceptance

After witnessing the Gay Pride in Mexico, a country known for embracing all things pride, Mohnish Malhotra feels that India too, can take a few more steps towards a more cultural and inclusive society

Growing up in the beautiful land of India, I have had many hopes and dreams, similar to what our forefathers and the writers of the Indian Constitution also envisioned. The possibility of a nation without any separation based on caste, colour, religion, and my addition to this list is sexuality. At this point, the apex court has decriminalised homosexuality, and the LGBTQI community has embraced the coming out of closets, and we all know it exists. What next?

I am in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, at the moment and had absolutely no idea about the vibrant LGBTQIA culture and inclusion that this city offers before I got here. This can be considered as a happy coincidence. Upon arriving here, I learned that there was going to be an LGBTQIA Pride celebration this year too. My initial anxiety was the inability to imagine a pride event considering the normal has changed, all thanks to the waves of the pandemic over the last 18 months. Pride events up until now have meant giant floats, marches, and parades, make-up, music, taking over the streets, and I was curious to see how this time could be different.

A week before the pride event, the town started to fill up with gay and lesbian visitors from Mexico, the US, and some other nearby countries. Hotels were running maximum occupancy, no apartments on Airbnb, restaurants started to see queues of waiting customers, and some popular drag queens like Bianca Del Rio arrived to join the festivity. Social distancing norms were followed throughout and no one fought to get in if the outlet announced they were at total capacity. It was not about overcrowding the place but just getting a spot wherever possible and celebrating the pride. One of the quick conversations I had with Drew Dixon, an actor from England who was attending the pride here, was questioning all that was exciting to people here? Personally, for him, it was to recall what pride meant and what it still means.

What Drew said stayed with me in a million different ways, and an ocean of memories came gushing down, weaving various pride events back home in India. I recall the very first pride event in New Delhi in June 2008 held on the 29th Day to symbolise the Stonewall revolution. We managed to pull it off in 13 days, and at that time, homosexuality was still a crime in India. There were threats from some right-wingers, support of the police force, people too afraid to show their faces, excited media folks, queer comrades from all over the country, dhols (drums), and us unfurling the gigantic 10 meters pride rainbow flag I had gotten stitched in satin silk fabric. We had printed some rainbow paper flags, and even some Batman shaped rainbow face masks for those who were not yet ready to reveal their identities. Up until then, pride was still an idea in Delhi, coming to life for the first time, and as it did, it became a possibility to extend to other cities. As the drums rolled, I heard people from Mumbai, Bengaluru, and other towns committing to having their local prides, and since then, there has been no going back. This huge gigantic flag has done many rounds at many pride parades, torn and repaired over 20 times, and now lies with me as a memoir of the journey so far. Since then, a lot has changed, including the Supreme Court verdict on Section 377, and the hope remains for more.

During this event in Mexico, the true stars for me were the locals and residents of the town, who have “learned” to embrace the difference of the LGBTQIA culture in a way that I think can change the future of countries like India.

The resistance, hate, and disgust have been replaced by the adoration and gratitude for everything the LGBTQIA community contributes to this town. This sort of courage and choice of kindness is the gift to other cities that would genuinely change the world. If it is truly about we the people, the onus of change is on all the people.

(The author is an activist and coach.)