LGBTQ+ community hails Supreme Court verdict
Randy Scarhol, a drag artist and model, said she is overwhelmed. “This is a landmark victory for the queer movement. However, the battle is not over.
Published: 07th September 2018 06:54 AM | Last Updated: 07th September 2018 06:54 AM | A+A A-
LGBTQ+ members celebrate after the Supreme Court verdict decriminalising consensual gay sex, in Bengaluru on Thursday | Nagaraja Gadekal
BENGALURU:With The Supreme Court decriminalising Section 377, the LGBTQ+ community in the city is celebrating the “long overdue” verdict. Supporters called the day “historic” and said there is still a long way to go in sensitising public about gay rights.
Dr Akkai Padmashali, founder of Ondede, said, “In such a tense situation in the country where activists have been arrested, SC verdict is a boost and historic event. The community has been struggling for 25 years against this 150-year-old law. I would like to thank the judiciary and all supporters of this cause.” She added that September 6 should be called the “Independence Day” as the rights of the marginalised community have been recognised.
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Randy Scarhol, a drag artist and model, said she is overwhelmed. “This is a landmark victory for the queer movement. However, the battle is not over. We still have a long way to go,” she said.Spoken word poet Bharath Savithri Divakar, said the fight was worth it. “Our existence has our rebellion, and now our fight has been justified. After the legal battle, now it is important to fight our battles on the societal front. After the verdict,there will be many who will come out of the closet, we have to look at how society can be accepting of them. But this judgement is a positive development,” she said.
They also opined that the British law “never made any sense.”Fashion designer Prasad Bidapa said, “Now, when I’m listening to people talk against it even after the verdict, I think it’s absolutely ridiculous. Nothing is going to change on the ground immediately, but police harassment will definitely be stopped. The next step is to bring about inclusivity,” he says.
MLA Sowmya Reddy, who has also been fighting for the cause, said it was an emotional day for everyone. “My faith in the Supreme Court has been reinstalled today. It’s about equality and freedom of speech and expression. Any discrimination is a violation of human rights and thousands of people have been fighting for it,” she added.
