Oh no!
In a HUGE setback for equality, India’s Supreme Court ruled today to reinstate a law making homosexual sex a prisonworthy offense!
This won’t just put them on the wrong side of history; it puts them IN history! Section 377 of the Indian penal code was written over 150 years ago when India was still a British colony!
The decision to bring back the law was a shock to the community. Arvind Narayan of the Alternative Law Forum said:
“Such a decision was totally unexpected from the top court. It is a black day for the community. We are very angry about this regressive decision of the court.”
In 2009, Section 377 was struck down by a high court as unconstitutional, but when the case finally made it to the Supreme Court today, judge GS Singhvi decided the law was still valid. He said:
“It is up to Parliament to legislate on this issue.”
So will the Indian Parliament listen to the will of those who just want the right to live as who they are? Or to the religious groups that fought to reinstate 377?
The LGBT community will have to wait until India’s Parliament reconvenes. Until then, without all the beautiful colors of the rainbow, it is indeed a black day in India.
[Image via AP Images.]