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Indian Supreme Court Issues Historic Decision to Decriminalize Homosexuality
As the Executive Director of Grindr for Equality, I could not be more pleased to celebrate the decision by the Indian Supreme Court to decriminalize being gay throughout the country.
As with most of the laws around the world that make it illegal for us to be who we are, Indian Criminal Code 377 was introduced by European powers when they entered the country to conquer and colonize. So today’s repeal is not just a win for LGBTQ+ rights but also for Indian independence.
It’s been a long road for the Indian government, who made this declaration once before in 2009. But the decision was overturned in 2013, galvanizing the country’s LGBTQ+ activists back into action.
India is home to 18% of the world’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. That means that the number of people impacted by this decision is among the largest in history, second only to China’s decision to decriminalize in 1997.
And what an impact it will have! No longer will queer Indians grow up hearing that who they are is against the law, nor will they live under the threat of arrest simply for trying to meet a partner.
Of course that doesn’t mean the fight is over. Despite this enormous advance, LGBTQ+ people around India can still face discrimination in all areas of life from employment to housing and even healthcare.
That’s why Grindr for Equality has assembled a team of LGBTQ+ grassroots translators to ensure our Sexual Health Resource Center is available in a range of regionally-diverse South Asian languages. So far this information is available in Hindi, Kannada, Gujarati, Telugu, Bengali, Dogri, Assamese, Meitei and Punjabi.
It’s also why we have partnered with Varta Trust and SAATHII, two Indian HIV organizations, to create the country’s first LGBTQ+ service finder tool. Using this tool, Grindr users and the entire LGBTQ community can find where they can access sexual health services, mental health services, and legal aid in their local area.
Grindr For Equality works toward a world that is safe, just, and inclusive for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, and we are so happy to share not just our community’s struggles but also our celebrations.
– Jack Harrison-Quintana, VP of Social Impact & Executive Director of Grindr for Equality
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