HYDERABAD: Parents of individuals identifying themselves as Queer has urged the Supreme Court to consider the pleas made by petitioners in the marriage equality writs, which seek amendments to the Special Marriage Act (1952). Members of Queer Bandhu, an association of parents of queer children from Hyderabad, addressed the media to express their concerns over the challenges their children face.
During the press conference, the parents highlighted their awareness of the widespread prejudice, discrimination, and exclusion faced by queer individuals in society. They emphasised that for the past 75 years, the Indian government has upheld colonial laws and failed to recognise the existence of queer people. The parents also commended the Supreme Court’s decisions on Section 377, NALSA Judgement, and the Transgender Persons Protection of Rights Act.
In a letter addressed to all the justices of the Constitutional Bench hearing marriage equality writs, the parents emphasised the need to grant queer people the full range of civil, economic, and political rights. They stressed the importance of providing access to education, healthcare, employment, and the right to choose their own family, including through marriage. The parents highlighted that even everyday activities such as renting a house, shopping in a mall, or watching a movie can be luxuries that many queer individuals cannot afford due to the lack of a basic legal framework. They expressed their concerns and hopes for a more inclusive society.
Recognising that matrimonial laws are currently based on religious personal laws, the parents suggested that the Special Marriage Act of 1952 could be extended to same-sex couples, as proposed by the petitioners. They emphasised that providing legal rights would ensure the necessary safety and support for queer individuals to live with dignity.