Goa to hold its first LGBT pride march on October 28

Goa is all set to hold its first ever LGBT parade - Goa Rainbow Pride Walk 2017, on October 28.  

In the parade, which will be taken out from the Old Secretariat to Miramar beach, members of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) community and the general populace are expected to take part. 

"It is happening for the first time in Goa. We want to create awareness about the rights of the LGBT community. There are several wrong notions about the community, which need to be addressed through this event," Alexander Fernandes, one of the organisers of this event, said. 

A film festival will also be held in the state capital, Panjim, in which movies on the struggles of the LGBT community will be screened. A party will also be organised in one of the beach villages, he said. 

According to Fernandes, 80 per cent of the LGBT community members were not ready to openly speak about their preferences fearing backlash from society, friends or family. 

"People are sceptical about admitting that they belong to the LGBT community... We want to tell the world that it is absolutely okay to be an LGBT. They are not people who harm others as is presumed," he said. 

Fernandes claimed that attacks on transgenders Goa was common. 

The march will pass without causing any hindrance to traffic, the participants have been allowed to use masks if they want to hide their identity. However, participants are forbidden to wear costumes that are linked to religious and political personalities, the organisers said.  

Fernandes also said that after Goa, similar marches will be organised in Bengaluru and Delhi, too.