Indian High Court Grants Gay and Lesbian Rights
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Homosexuality decriminalised in New Delhi today.
Same sex couples in India rejoiced today as the Delhi High Court officially legalised homosexuality.
In a landmark announcement for the country, homosexuality was decriminalised after nearly 150 years of prohibition. The ruling will afford gay and lesbian Indian citizens equal rights as their heterosexual counterparts.
In a lengthy 105-page document describing the ruling, the convening judges of the Delhi High Court wrote: “Discrimination is the antithesis of equality,” according to The New York Times, “It is the recognition of equality which will foster dignity of every individual,” the document read.
Although the decision will be celebrated by gay men and women across India, the change to Section 377 of the law will only affect the Indian capital. Outside of New Delhi, homosexual activity will remain illegal and a prosecutable offence.
Despite this, the progress made today is likely to be the first snowball which cascades into an avalanche decision across the whole of India to decriminalise homosexuality. The ruling will force the Indian Government to take one of two courses of action, either to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, or to repeal the law across the nation.
Gay rights have been suppressed in India since British colonialism outlawed homosexuality in 1861. The antiquated law has been on the point of change for quite some time in India, but to officially renounce it today is still a huge milestone for the country. The Indian government is expected to make a decision one way or the other in the coming months.
Now girls and boys need not hide their relationship and should get married. SS marriages, to some extent, control population.