INDIA: At New Delhi Pride 2013

New Delhi's gay pride parade was Sunday and while the event was small by Western standards, hundreds took to the streets to demand LGBT rights.

The demonstrators urged an end to all forms of discrimination against gay men, lesbians and transgender people in India, four years after a colonial-era law that criminalised gay sex was overturned. One group of activists carried a 15-metre (50ft) rainbow-coloured banner, while others waved placards demanding the freedom to lead dignified lives. The march ended with a public meeting at Jantar Mantar, the main area for protests in Delhi. Many gay rights activists and their families danced and sang as drummers and musicians performed. Others distributed rainbow-coloured flags and badges to members of the public who had gathered to watch and listen to the speeches. Many demonstrators had come to the march to express their support for the gay community in the city. In 2009, the Delhi high court decriminalised gay sex, which until then had been punishable by up to 10 years in prison. In some big Indian cities, homosexuality is slowly gaining acceptance, and a few high-profile Bollywood films have dealt with gay issues. Still, many at the march on Sunday covered their faces with scarves or wore masks because they have not told their friends and families about their sexuality.