Section 377 verdict: LGBTQ rights’ activists celebrate landmark Supreme Court judgement

As India awakens to a new era after the landmark judgement by the Supreme Court decriminalising Section 377, chants of,” Hip Hip Hurray” were heard outside the court as it was celebration time for joyful gay rights activists.

As quoted by The Hindu, an 18-year-old activist named Sukhmani said, “We are very happy to receive the same rights as all other people in this country. We will have legal acceptance now will work for social acceptance now. At least the constitution and the IPC supports!.”

“We are very happy to receive the same rights as all other people in this country. We have legal acceptance now. We will work for social acceptance,” she adds further.

Anjali Gopalan, the founder of the Naz Foundation, in an interaction with The Independent, said, “They have opened the door to discussing rights. They have apologised to the gay community and said copies of the judgment will be handed to every police station. It is the best judgement we could have hoped for.”

“We have finally got justice. We are finally azaad in azaad Hind,” Ashok Row Kavi, founder of the Humsafar Trust and an activist for LGBTQ rights said outside the Supreme Court.

Meenakshi Ganguly, the South Asia director for Human Rights Watch took to Twitter to express herself.

“Thanks to all that fought for this, braving the worst sort of prejudice. This is a good day for human rights,” read her tweet.

A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday did away with a law dating back to the colonial era under which gay sex was punishable to up to 10 years jail. Section 377, now would only be applicable for acts of bestiality, and same-sex acts not involving consent. In its judgement, the apex court said, “Sexual orientation of an individual is natural and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is a violation of Freedom of Expression, Supreme Court.”

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