Proud in New Delhi

Deshan Tucker, 19, a college student at Delhi University, echoed that sentiment. "Supporting the cause is different from saying to them that I'm gay. [If you do,] they will look down on you and say, 'Why are you like that?'" His university campus lacks a single gay student organization. "Legislation is just the first step," said Deshan. "Gays are denied the fundamental right of existence."

But neither Deshan nor his other gay friends from Delhi University—nor anyone else this reporter spoke with at the rally—said they had been arrested by the police in violation of section 377. That isn't to say that gay men are not still arrested for consensual sex. A few months ago in Lucknow, capital of New Delhi's neighboring state of Uttar Pradesh, two gay men were arrested after being found in a "breeding position" in a public park. "The problem with 377," said Muyer Suresh, a lawyer from Bangalore, is that "you get extortion, harassment, blackmail by the cops," which can lead to rape and torture, he said.

This 150-year-old chapter of Indian history may be coming to a close soon. The Delhi High Court is weighing a petition against Article 377, and a ruling is expected in the near future. Brought by the Naz Foundation, an Indian organization that works to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, the petition is currently pending on appeal and the next hearing is July 2. Perhaps next year, marchers will feel more at ease showing their faces.

© 2008