India's High Court Overturns Sodomy Law

by Michael Jones · 2009-07-02 06:40:00 UTC
Topics:

Overturn Section 377

Strike another victory for LGBT rights in 2009.  The Delhi High Court in India has overturned the country's very backwards Section 377 law, which since the days of the British empire has criminalized homosexuality in the second most populous country in the world. Earlier this week we wrote about the potential of this happening, and today the decision is final.

Anjali Gopalan, leader of the Naz Foundation (which was one of the organizations that led the lawsuit challenging the ban on homosexuality), said that with this decision, India is finally entering the 21st century.  And with a very simple statement, here's what the High Court in India proclaimed:

Consensual sex amongst adults is legal which includes even gay sex and sex among the same sexes.

Despite the fact that it has lived underground for the better part of many decades, India has a thriving LGBT activism scene, closely tied with campaigns fighting for public health.  This decision will suredly bolster these communities, and (one can hope) lead to even more sweeping change for LGBT rights in India.

Michael Jones is a Change.org Editor. He has worked in the field of human rights communications for a decade, most recently for Harvard Law School.
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