A beauty pageant held in Imphal, Manipur, is taking a stand against discrimination against the LGBTQ community.
This is not the first transgender beauty pageant to be held in the country – the first one was held in 2009 in Chennai – the Northeast Transgender Queen Contest has been organised every year since 2010.
Called a “Solidarity Event”, it was held at Bheigyachandra Open Air Theatre (BOAT), Imphal on Tuesday. Thirty-three transgenders participated from the seven states of Northeast India in this event is organised by the All Manipur Nupi-Manbi Association in association with Solidarity and Action Against the HIV infection in India, with support from the Manipur State AIDS Control Society, American Jewish World Service and Alliance India.
The transgender community organised the event to protest the December 2013 Supreme Court’s verdict on Section 377.
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