After the historic Delhi High Court ruling to read down section 377 and decriminalise homosexual relations between consenting adults, many have stepped out without masks, even bringing their parents along to the march this year. “It’s liberating that I can come out and stand proudly with my daughter,” says D Smita, parent of a lesbian daughter.

Dressed in vibrant attire of wigs, animal print apparels, feather boas, colourful masks and T-shirts with slogans, the marchers drew a fair amount of attention, as people from the street came up to take pamphlets on their own.

Besides the LGBT groups and individuals, there was a strong presence of NGOs, women’s groups, human rights organisations, and trade unionists; family members and students. Many who had already marched in June this year flew down from Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata to support the movement in Mumbai.

Pune groups voluntarily dropped out as a preventive against swine flu. Noticeably the green and clean committee among the marchers picked up any trash the marchers dropped. The rainbow masks outnumbered the medical ones and the mood was buoyant.

Anand Grover, one of the lawyers fighting for the reading down of 377, agrees that the change in law has made a difference. “There has been a big change in attitude. We hope to win in the Supreme Court, which is important, but for now we are celebrating.”

Meena of LABIA (Lesbians and Bisexuals in Action), with a megaphone in hand, underlined the difficulties such women face. “This is a turn in history and together we will try and change the view that society has of LGBT people. As women we face violence and rape but we are forging ahead with the support of the community.”

For the first time Mridul, a trans-female-to-male, made an appearance to say, “Society only gives us options of male and female, I’m here to say that many genders exist.”