“They’re happier, more confident about opening up and are refusing to mask their identities anymore,” said Danish Sheikh, while talking about Delhi’s first Pride Parade that took place after the Section 377 verdict this year. The annual parade, held on the last Sunday of November, saw an unusually massive crowd with “happier” faces and fiercely flying rainbow flags, all of it proof of the huge victory gained by the LGBTQIA community with the decriminalization of gay sex in the country, as stated by the Supreme court verdict on September 6 earlier this year.

Sheikh, a professor at Jindal Global Law School who identifies himself as a gay man, further adds, “The pride parade this year is a culmination of a rather tedious battle that the LGBTQ community had fought with the legal system for long and had finally won. The most exciting thing about the parade today is the tangible impact of the law which can be seen in the people around. They’re ready to take risks, all thanks to the recent SC verdict.”

Although a change in the law does not necessarily mean a change in society, the thousands of people who turned up on Sunday for the march seemed confident about a wave of change around. Shaunak Mahbubani, an independent content curator who identifies himself as a non-binary, queer person said, “Celebrating the community is a very important part of who we are, and this year it was essential that we celebrate the change in the law as well. But what is even more important is that this should become a platform for all of us to sort of come together and think about how we are going to continue with our struggle, because it is far from over. Therefore, it becomes an important bouncing point for all of us to analyze where we are.”

The march, although a celebration and reassertion of the LGBTQIA identity, is attended heavily also by heterosexual people who extend solidarity to the cause. Nishant Kumar, an MA English student of Ramjas College, Delhi University said, “I do not identify myself as LGBTQ but have seen how long the community has suffered in our society. It feels nice to see people coming out in the open on this occasion, just celebrating themselves on the streets without any fear.”

Mehul Mewal, a former Delhi University student said, “It will be a lie to say that I have never been even slightly homophobic. Today, being part of this celebration of pride, I have realized how very welcoming the community is and I think we can all learn from them that race, colour, gender and sexual orientations do not matter, and that love is love.”

“Smash Brahminical, Homophobic, Trans Exclusionary Patriarchy”, “Let’s get one thing straight- I am not”, “Rainbows Reign”, “Love is a terrible thing to hate”, “Same-sex marriage abhi baaki hai!” and “Achche din aa gaye” were some of the banners held up by the people in the march, alongside the huge rainbow flags that symbolize the various LGBTQIA social movements.

Sporting a big nath (ring) on their nose, Harshit Pandey, a banker with Barclays, said, “My drag name is Anamika, as it is the other name that I have given myself. I am dressed as a trademark Kumaoni Uttrakhandi bride today, with these bangles, nose ring, and all the other jewellery because I am happy. This day is about celebration to me as much as a wedding would be for somebody. What Diwali is to North Indians, Durga Puja to Bengalis, this day is to me.” The LGBTQ community has long used cross-gender clothing and decorative items as a way to reaffirm their identities as fluid and to topple gender stereotypes.

Speaking about an old accusation about this space being “urban” and “exclusive” to a specific class of people, Jaspreet, an employee with a pharmaceutical company said, “It is a wrong belief because this space is an open invitation for everybody to come and celebrate what they are. Not just that, it also serves as an inspiration for many people, who are still haven’t come out of the closet, to come out and be themselves.” He added, “And yes, please take on record that I identify myself as gay and proud.”

In this gathering, there is no dearth of beautiful and daring stories of coming out as LGBTQ, and hoping against hope for a happy future. Speaking about her girlfriend Kavita Lakhtko, with whom she has been in a two-year-long relationship, Shivani Rawal expresses her desire to marry her soon. “I came out as a lesbian in the third year of my graduation and within the first few months, I found Kavita. We have been together since then. We are committed to each other and can’t wait for the day when we can finally tell our families about each other and get married,” said Rawal.

Planting a kiss on Shivani’s lips, Kavita said, “That day isn’t too far. Today I saw that people weren’t offended and bystanders were actually just looking at us in awe and enjoying the celebration. If there will be change, we will all have to bring it.” The event culminated after hours of fierce music, dance, sloganeering—a celebration of an erstwhile legal victory and of upcoming challenges by (re)claiming the streets as their own.