JOIN USCoalition for Sex workers, Sexual & Sexuality Minorities' Rights (CSMR) has organised the 10th Namma Pride and Karnataka Queer Habba on November 26 in the city.
A rally against exploitation of margins by the government will begin at Tulasi Park near Upparpet police station and culminate at Town Hall.
"We celebrate being queer. The rally is against warmongering, dehumanising and ostracisation of women who fail to fit into the heteronormative standards," Raphael, member, Pride Committee, CSMR told reporters on Friday.
"Queer people, Dalits and those who are excluded from rights, dignity and citizenship due to heteronormativity will participate in the rally," Raphael added.
Sumitra, another member of the Pride Committee, said CSMR demanded governments to fulfil various demands which included repeal of IPC section 377; Section 36 A of Karnataka Police Act; exception of marital rape from rape law; sedition and criminal defamation from IPC.
Other demands are stringent anti-discriminatory policies at workplaces; ending gender discrimination; rolling back of beggar free Karnataka; release of pending grants between 2014-16 by National Aids Control Organisation and State Aids Control Society; shelter for transgenders; Amendments to Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill-2016; gender neutrality and gender specificity for perpetrators in rape and sexual harassment cases; legal recognition of marriage, adoption, inheritance and other civil rights of same sex couples and members of gender and sexuality minority communities; compulsory incrimination of repeated systemic offenders who misuse IPC to file false charges against LGBTQIA and marginalised communities and sensitisation of police and government authorities on the rights of gender and sexuality minority communities, Sumitra added.
"We condemn murders and brutality against trans women, demand Indian Broadcasting Foundation and News Broadcasting Standards Authority to draft rules against negative portrayal of LGBTQIA+ members, want governments to begin discussions around queer/LGBTQ Welfare Boards and Queer/LGBQ Commissions for non-trans identifying people," said Yash Sharma, Siddhartha, Pragathi, Rohini, all members of Pride Committee.