The recent Supreme Court ruling on the rights of the LGBTQ+ community has left many people among the LGBTQ+ community feeling disappointed. The ruling, which upheld Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, effectively criminalizing same-sex relationships. This decision has been met with widespread criticism from human rights groups, activists, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
The ruling has been particularly devastating for members of the LGBTQ+ community who have been fighting for their rights for years. Many people had hoped that the Supreme Court would strike down Section 377 and pave the way for greater equality. Instead, the court has upheld a law that was discriminatory and unjust.
Suhail Abbasi, co-founder of Humsafar Trust and chairperson of the Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities (INFOSEM), said it is time to go back to the drawing board and re-strategise.
Aadi, who is the founder of the Ramjas queer collective, was among those sitting outside the court, eagerly waiting for the five-judge bench’s judgment. “This is regressive… I don’t have words to express how I feel right now… we were expecting the verdict to be on our side, we need to stop looking down on homosexuality,” he cried, according to an India Today report.
Some petitioners were also present on the court premises huddled anxiously to hear the Supreme Court’s judgment.
Amrita Tripathi, the partner of petitioner Rituparna Borah, was attentively listening to the judgment with her headphones on. “I am very disappointed; there is some progress but I don’t think it’s enough… Apart from marriage rights, there were other things in this petition like adoption rights and the right to have a chosen family, but queer couples should also have the right to marry the person of their choice,” she said, according to the similar news report.
Some from the Queer community have also reacted saying, “we are still trying to understand what the judgment means, the pronouncements are unclear.”
The petition was filed by a group of four queer feminist activists and three queer couples, demanding that the court acknowledge families of choice. The petition talked also about familial violence that queer individuals have to go through.
INFOSEM, a coalition of 110 community organisations, was also a petitioner for equality in marriage rights. Said Abbasi, “We will keep at our fight, we’ll continue, we’ll strategise… we’ll have to do stronger advocacy with the parliamentarians somewhere down the line.”
Others too from the Queer community have expressed their anger with the court’s verdict. However, it is important to note that Indian culture has a long history of diversity and inclusivity. India is home to many different religions, languages, and cultures, each with its own unique customs and traditions. While some of these traditions may not be accepting of same-sex relationships, it is important to remember that they are part of a larger cultural tapestry.
It is also worth noting that India has made significant strides in recent years towards greater acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community. In 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that consensual homosexual acts would no longer constitute a crime. This was a historic move that reversed Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which was a legacy from British colonial rule.
While there is still much work to be done to ensure full equality for members of the LGBTQ+ community in India, it is clear that progress is being made.
