CHENNAI: Now that the Supreme Court has provided the LGBTQ community with legal recognition, they are free to act as they wish as long as it does not affect public order and morality,” said I Jayanthi, Judge and Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) at a talk and panel discussion titled, ‘Outfest 1.0 - Understanding legalities and law.’
The community should be accorded with the same privileges and benefits that others enjoy, she said. “People from the community will now get to lead a dignified life and their status will get elevated.”
Jayanthi spoke about how many transgender people suffer because they don’t have valid legal documents and identity proof as they often leave their families and take on new names and identities. She said that if anyone was in need of help, they could approach the DLSA for assistance.
“Everyone is legally entitled to all the documents. They are also entitled to education, employment and adoption rights. If they face any harassment or discrimination for the same, they can approach the DLSA with a complaint,” she explained. The DLSA is handling a number of such cases already, she said.
Alok Ojha, Senior Superintendent of Post Offices, lauded the judgment and called Section 377 a ‘colonial construct’.
“Transgender people were always respected in ancient Indian society. The Supreme Court verdict has given them that respect again... But their freedom is subject to three restrictions — subject to public order and morality, non-consensual sex and if minors are involved.”