Hyderabad witnesses Queer Swabhiman Yatra

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], Feb 19 (ANI): The Hyderabad city on Sunday witnessed the annual queer 'Pride Parade' with over a thousand members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) community taking to streets.

"The 'Hyderabad Queer Swabhiman Yatra' is an initiative by Hijra, Transgender, Lesbian, Kothi, Gay, Bisexual, Pansexual, Inter-sex, Inter-gender, Asexual, Queer and Allies of Telangana (HTLKGBPIIAQA) individuals and civil society groups working to reclaim our self-respect that is continually under assault by the cultures of silence, invisibilisation, prejudice and violence," read an official note.

The parade that was earlier known as Hyderabad Queer Pride, evolved to be Hyderabad Queer Swabhimana Kawathu in 2015 after the creation of Telangana, organised by queer individuals and allies building a conversation around HTLKGBPIIAQA lives and realities in collaboration with other social movements and marginalised communities, it added.

Parade-goers marched on the street with rainbow flags and placards, with messages in support of the LGBTQ community.

The 'Pride Parade' stretched for 3.5-km from Kachiguda Railway Station to GHMC Playground, Amberpet in Hyderabad.

Earlier in the month, Guwahati and Lucknow organised their own queer pride parade. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI