India’s oldest pride walk is back for its 13thedition this July with the Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk on 13thJuly this year. The walk is set to start at Triangular Park in south Kolkata and end at the ground next to EDF Nursing Home, commencing from 3pm.
The walk this year is themed around the right for both gender and sexual expressions. The event comes in the background of two Supreme Court judgments that have brought the discourse of gender and sexuality to the drawing rooms. The first, delivered on 11th December, 2013, set aside the Delhi High Court ruling of 2009 that had read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. On the other hand, the NALSA verdict delivered on 15th April, 2014 acknowledges the fundamental right to free expression of one’s gender, irrespective of one’s gender assigned at birth.
This year the pride walk will follow a new route. One of the organizers, Souvik Som says, “Our route this year is longer than the previous years. And why not? We have been in the news for a large part of the year! The State is not sure where it stands but our slogans will only be louder with more and more people joining.” The organizers are expecting a turnout of 2000 this year.
P.S. The post has been updated to show the new route. The earlier route of the pride walk had to be changed upon the request of Lalbazaar Police Station. The new route to be followed will be Triangular Park – Gariahat – Dhakuria – Jadavpur Thana – EDF Nursing Home.
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