By Lavina Melwani Jul 6, 2019 11:06:29 AM IST (Published)
There was boisterous Bhangra and Bollywood music on the streets of New York– and no, it wasn’t Navratri, Baisakhi or even Holi – it was the annual Gay Pride March, and Indian gays, lesbians, bisexuals, queers and transexuals were coming out in the open and celebrating their sexual orientation and their community.
There was boisterous Bhangra and Bollywood music on the streets of New York– and no, it wasn’t Navratri, Baisakhi or even Holi – it was the annual Gay Pride March, and Indian gays, lesbians, bisexuals, queers and transexuals were coming out in the open and celebrating their sexual orientation and their community. No beating about the bush – they were out there, marching in solidarity with the larger American LGBTQ community and happy to be counted.
2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots and for the LGBTQ community, it was a watershed moment when they stood up to hate and intolerance, the beginning of the gay rights movement.“For many who marched or jammed the sidelines, it was hard to understand just how much prejudice was once directed at gay men, lesbians and transgender people. In 1969, laws in 49 states made gay sex between consenting adults a crime. In New York, it was illegal for two men to dance together until 1971,” wrote The New York Times.