Clash of prides: Punekars to have two Pride parades due to conflicting ideologies

As the Pride month has begun, every city is prepping for that one prideful walk under the rainbow flag. However, Pune will witness not one but two different parades, not due to their love for the community, but due to clashing ideologies within the community. While one group wants to keep the “culture” of their city intact, the other wants to take pride in being liberal. A Pride March will start from Sambhaji Maharaj Garden at 9am, while a gathering called Pride… to beg or to claim your identity? will be held at Goodluck chowk at the same time on Sunday.

Aditya Joshi, Founder, Qutcast, a support group based in the south of Pune reveals that the organisers of Pride March are putting across archaic rules under the garb of this year’s traditional theme. “Pride is all about inclusivity and not begging. It’s about being proud of who you are. Unlike other cities where it’s a collective decision, here no one else gets a seat at the table to decide. It is clearly stated to people of other organisations to keep certain people out of pride and they shouldn’t be allowed,” says Joshi who is one of the organisers of the gathering that was initially supposed to be a protest.

Rishikesh Raut who identifies as a transgender, recalls her experience with the pride that is organised by Bindu Queer Rights Foundation (BQRF). “In 2017, I protested against the Pune Pride Walk, which he calls “his” pride walk. This was because this Pride had very conservative and problematic rules such as ‘decent’ dressing and behaviour, no political slogans, no music, and, in the organiser’s words ‘no Nanga Naach like in Mumbai’. I protested the pride by wearing a sari with a placard that read Nanga Naach. I was assaulted by the volunteers,” Raut shares.

On the other hand, the organisers of the march take pride in being conservative. While Bindumadhav Khire of BQRF was occupied with his last-minute preparations, so he couldn’t speak to us. Anil Ukarande, the founder of YUTAK — an LGBTQIA+ community support group, is helping organise the March and put forward their ideologies. “Every city has their tradition, we cannot expect (that) Pune Mumbai ban jaaye and starts their parades like America. Pune has a traditional and rigid culture, whether you like it or not,” Ukarande shares. He explains how being the organisers of the parade mean taking ownership. “There was an instance in Mumbai where some people started using different slogans and flags which resulted in the organisers being held for sedition charges,” he recalls and further explains, “We live in such a society that has a certain culture and tradition and we are a part of that society. If we go to any functions, we try to dress accordingly.”

Explaining the concept of decent clothing, Ukarande shares, “When we are talking about awareness, acceptance, then decent clothing is a must. If a closeted gay child watches these pride with his parents, and someone has worn shorts, or if someone is showing b*bs or b*t, will those parents accept their kid? Will those parents let them come to this side?”