The verdict of the Supreme Court decriminalising homosexuality by partially striking down archaic provisions of Section 377 of the IPC brought cheer and hope to activists and members of the LGBTQI+ community on Thursday.
“The verdict comes as a great relief for our community and its implications will now be seen in many areas. The legal tag of ‘criminal’ had been fuelling the already existing social stigma against the community and the verdict now has ensured that we will have fewer hurdles with regard to acceptance,” said L. Ramakrishnan, Vice President, SAATHII, an NGO working on providing access to health and human rights. Renewed efforts could now be launched to sensitise policy-makers, educational institutions and the community at large, he added.
At the office of Sahodaran, an NGO working for LGBT rights in the city, celebrations broke out once the verdict was announced. “For the last 30 years, it has been a struggle for acceptance for the LGBT community. While transgenders have been supported by sections of the public in Tamil Nadu, there needs to be a lot more sensitisation with regard to the rest of the LGBT community, which we hope will now happen,” said Jaya, general manager of the NGO. Many of the people who had assembled there danced and burst crackers as well as distributed sweets, celebrating the landmark verdict. They later held a candlelight vigil in remembrance of all those who fought against Section 377.
‘Can face anything’
Siva, co-founder of Nirangal, an organisation that works for the rights of the LGBTQI+ community, said that they felt empowered to legally challenge anything which deprives them of their rights.
“There had been a taboo with regard to sensitising people on sexuality and we now hope that there will be open discussions initiated on the same,” said the activist, who identifies as gender fluid.
Actor-politician Kamal Haasan tweeted hailing the ‘historic’ judgment: “Thanks on behalf of the citizens who revere fundamental rights.” Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi too said in a tweet that the country had taken an important step towards fulfilling its human rights obligations.
“The repeal of this law will open the door for a larger discourse to ensure fundamental rights in India. This ruling also ensures the bodily integrity, sexual orientation of the Indian Intersex community,” said intersex activist Gopi Shankar Madurai, founder of Srishti Madurai LGBTQIA+ Student Volunteer Movement in India, and also the intersex representative from the Asian Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).
( With inputs from Dennis S Jesudasan )
