Awadh Queer Pride March in Lucknow | LGBTQIA+ members call for acceptance and civil rights

To echo their voice and sentiments for greater acceptance in society and civil rights, members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community, along with allies and activists, participated in the Awadh Queer Pride March in Lucknow.

With colourful balloons, rainbow flags, and powerful slogans, community members, dressed in their most vibrant attire to demonstrate their preferences, began their march from Rana Pratap Marg and culminated at the 1090 crossing in Gomti Nagar.

Trans activist and Saksham Foundation, Rae Bareli project manager Lovepreet Singh, says, “Every year, the participation of members and allies increases. A positive outcome is that acceptance has also grown over the years. Allies, who are a very big support system for us, are joining in large numbers, and this time we have come for a morale boost.”

In the lead-up to the event, the pride committee had organized several events, including a Free Hugs event at Hazratganj, a poster-making and potluck picnic at Lohia Park, and another poster-making session on the theme of intersectionality.

“This year’s Pride Walk focussed on the struggle for obtaining equal marriage rights for LGBTQ+ couples in India. Despite significant legal advancements, such as the NALSA Judgment (2014) and the decriminalization of Section 377 (2018), marriage rights remain a key demand of the queer community. Participants carried banners and placards demanding legal recognition of same-sex unions, adoption rights, and equal access to marital benefits,” says Darvesh Singh Yaduvendra, founder of Awadh Queer Pride.

Nidhi Chauhan, who identifies as a lesbian, says, “Female participation is increasing. We urge parents to understand their children and society to accept us and our queer preferences.”

Another member, requesting anonymity, says, “The energy and determination of the participants remained strong, with a collective call for policy changes, legislative reforms, and societal acceptance. The Pride Walk concluded with a collective call for policy changes, legislative reforms, and societal acceptance.”