<p>The Namma Pride march is returning to the city on Sunday. It will be held from the KSR Bengaluru railway station to Town Hall.</p>.<p>The march is held every year to campaign for equal rights for the members of the queer community.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>A poetry event, and a fair for queer entrepreneurs will be held in the run-up to the march.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.”</p>.<p><em><span class="italic">*Look up nammapride on Instagram for details.</span></em></p>.<h4><strong>Calendar</strong></h4>.<p><strong>November 25</strong>: Shabda, an open-mic poetry session at Atta Galatta, Indiranagar, from 5 pm to 8 pm.</p>.<p><strong>November 26:</strong> Diversity fair, a fair of queer entrepreneurs from 11 am to 8 pm at Samsa Bayalu Ranga Mandira, Sampangi Rama Nagar.</p>.<p><strong>November 27: </strong>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.</p>
<p>The Namma Pride march is returning to the city on Sunday. It will be held from the KSR Bengaluru railway station to Town Hall.</p>.<p>The march is held every year to campaign for equal rights for the members of the queer community.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>A poetry event, and a fair for queer entrepreneurs will be held in the run-up to the march.</p>.<p>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.</p>.<p>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.”</p>.<p><em><span class="italic">*Look up nammapride on Instagram for details.</span></em></p>.<h4><strong>Calendar</strong></h4>.<p><strong>November 25</strong>: Shabda, an open-mic poetry session at Atta Galatta, Indiranagar, from 5 pm to 8 pm.</p>.<p><strong>November 26:</strong> Diversity fair, a fair of queer entrepreneurs from 11 am to 8 pm at Samsa Bayalu Ranga Mandira, Sampangi Rama Nagar.</p>.<p><strong>November 27: </strong>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.</p>