Marriage for everyone - 17th January 2023

This Pride march is in Delhi. In India, LGBTQ+ people can't get married. They want change. The march is a message to the government.

Ajay Chauhan's a businessman.

Ajay Chauhan: "It's time that we come out, as always, and raise our voices. Because Pride is just not a celebration, it is also is a protest, right. It is a very political statement going out to the government that there's a large community in play and their rights needs to be met. And we need to be heard equally."

Some rules in India changed. Before 2018, the police could put LGBTQ+ people in jail.

But LGBTQ+ partners don't have many rights. Couples can't open a bank account together. They can't own a house together.

Ajay Chauhan: "Decriminalisation has only targeted one aspect of it. But there's a larger aspect where the rights are still not there with the LGBTQ community. So we need to really focus on those rights like inheriting properties together, opening bank accounts. Marriage is one big thing because once the marriage comes into play, all these other aspects of the rights will actually be met."

Mikali Singh: "And there'll be more acceptance because in society marriage is accepted."

Many people in India have traditional ideas about relationships. Often, LGBTQ+ people's families won't speak to them. But these traditional ideas are changing. And there are LGBTQ+ people in Bollywood films too.

A long time ago, India was different. It welcomed lots of different people. University professor Akash Rathore:

Akash Rathore: "It is a high time for India to look for equality. If you see, historical India was always a place where we respected you, like, equality."

LGBTQ+ couples say the rules now are unfair. But these rules may change. In Asia, only Taiwan has rules for same-sex weddings. India could be next.