Kozhikode: When the activists of Queer Pride 2016 spilled over to the streets here as part of their pride march on Friday, they had more reasons to celebrate as the  public  had begun to support them.  The Queer Pride of the LGBT- lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender community—demanded  a whole range of freedoms that are under threat.

Noted Hindustani singer and one of the prominent voices of LGBT community, Sumathy Moorthy, who flagged off the march,  said, “for many years we have been celebrating pride for the repeal of section 377 that criminalises same-sex lives and the demand for dignity for people of diverse gender and sexuality expressions in public and private spaces.  This year we are also coming forward in solidarity with the dalits of the country,  the Kashmiris who have been ill-treated and  all those   undergoing agony because of indifference shown  by a section of people,” she added.

“Pride, for me, is about equality in all senses. It is not restricted only to sexuality. It is resistance against patriarchy, casteism, class oppression and every oppression that attempts to silence us,” opined Maimoona, earlier known as Rasak, who had  come all the way from Dubai to attend the  event. Artist and transgender rights activist Kalki Subrahmaniam criticised the lack of sexuality and gender education in Kerala. Mr  V.T. Balram MLA, inaugurating the  march,  said that  the  police and the people should stop  branding  transgender people as criminals.