This ties in nicely with the great news that India has decriminalised gay sex. Since the the 19th century, when a colonial law set a penalty of a ten year prison sentence for what it refers to as 'as an act “against the order of nature"'.
Though, like laws against child molestation and zoophilia, few people have been convicted for breaching this particular law, it has encouraged widespread prejudice and cruelty towards gay men and made homosexuals subject to terrorisation and blackmail from the police forces of India.
However, after a nine year campaign, the Naz Foundation has finally succeeded in bringing about change. The high court has declared on the Thursday 2nd July (yesterday!) that
"Consensual sex amongst adults is legal which includes even gay sex and sex
among the same sexes.”
How?
Their main argument is that the illegal nature of gay sex made it more difficult for the Indian government to control the spread of some diseases, most notably HIV/AIDS. Though their message was simple, it was well conveyed through the raising of public awareness about HIV/AIDS.
Though legalisation does not necessary put an end to homophobia- in fact, far from it- it has been legal in Britain and America for decades but neither have overcome the problem of homophobia, and the gay men of India are still likely to remain 'closeted' in their attempts to outwait the storm, the legalisation of gay sex is at its core a very good start.
(Source: The Economist)
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