India’s Supreme Court has agreed to review Section 377 of the Indian penal code
The country could be on its way toward a major breakthrough in LGBT rights after its Supreme Court agreed to review Section 377 – which has been interpreted as a law against gay sex.
A hangover from India’s British colonial rule, Section 377 bans “carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal” and is punishable by life imprisonment.
According to the Guardian, around 1,347 cases were registered in 2015. Though most were in regards to alleged sexual offences against children, LGBT rights advocates have claimed the legislation has been used to blackmail and intimidate LGBT people living in India.
In the same report, activist Harish Iyer said he was “cautiously optimistic” that the court would scrap the 150-year-old law. Aditya Bondyopadhyay, another advocate for LGBT rights, said the court had already signalled an intention to hear challenges to section 377, “but at least now we know when it is going to happen, we have a date”.
Since the news broke, people have turned to social media to share their thoughts:
Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism always acknowledged existence of queer in nature. Those with small hearts and colonial minds tend to reject the queer in culture. Time to grow up and catch with Indian wisdom #Section377 pic.twitter.com/DLORp3uOnJ
— Devdutt Pattanaik (@devduttmyth) January 8, 2018
I think you are right. #Section377 heading for a long overdue burial. It will not be lamented. https://t.co/rlCoObO7qq
— Vikram Chandra (@vikramchandra) January 8, 2018
While many use religion to justify why they are being unfair to a person’s gender and sexuality, @devduttmyth in #ThePregnantKing and #Shikhandi shows how mythologies across the world appreciate what we deem as queer.#Section377https://t.co/0JNejj2n0d
— Penguin India (@PenguinIndia) January 9, 2018
#Section377 is dead. Only funeral remaining, says Harish Salve 🌈👊🏾
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) January 8, 2018
Let's hope for the best #FingersCrossed #Section377 #SupremeCourt
— millenialhag (@Prarthanaa7) January 9, 2018
Read more about the news by following the hashtag #Section377 here.
