New Delhi:
New York City’s iconic gay bar Stonewall Inn said, “Being gay is genetic, you are born this way. Should you discriminate on height, eye or skin color? What will the people who want this law do when their son or daughter says they are gay?”
Notify that America had decriminalized gay sex in 2003, though most individual states had struck down laws in the 1980s.
Mia Farrow, the American actress and humanitarian, tweeted shortly after the decision of Supreme Court, “Cancelled trip to India. My wife and I would not feel welcome there.”
Meanwhile many countries, especially those with a colonial past such as Malaysia, Singapore and much of Africa, were looking up to India as a role model, a precursor, in their fight for gay rights. Ironically, the originator of this century old law, the United Kingdom abolished it in 1967.
Co-founder of Justice for Sisters Thilaga Sulathireh said, “The decision by the Delhi High Court in 2009 had set a good precedent not only for India but all post-colonial countries to decriminalize Article 377. We have used it for our own judicial review in Malaysia, it is pretty shocking for us and will have a huge impact not only on the LGBT discourse in India but all across Asia and the rest of the world.”
Activists said that India should have to answer its decision on international platforms. Can a country denying human rights be on the jury for human rights?
Regional Program Director for Asia, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, Grace Poore said, “India sits on the Human Rights Council- that is a very important role it plays. What is India going to do now? Is India going to be making recommendations to other countries so they support LGBT rights and make sure discrimination ends? I would like India to do that and I am hoping the Indian government is not going to say that because of the Supreme Court we are not going to take a stand.”
Bureau Report
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