India's Supreme Court bans gay sex: We are criminals again TITLE: India supreme court decision Reporter:

ismilla! "eelani #ate: I$TR%: In a ma&or setbac' to t!e L" T community in India( t!e Supreme Court !as o)er turned a lo*er court ruling t!at decriminali+ed gay sex, -ccording to t!e court t!e gay sex remains a criminal act, -s ismilla! "eelani reports .rom $e* #e!li, TE/T: S0/12 Sounds .rom t!e protest site Immediately a.ter t!e Supreme Court ruled "ay sex *as a criminal act3t!is *as t!e scene in $e* #el!is 4antar 5antar s6uare, 7undreds o. members .rom t!e lesbian( gay( bisexual and transgender community and t!eir supporters *earing blac' bands and carrying placards reading 8Its a blac' day .or !uman rig!ts in India9 and 8proud to be a gay9, %ne o. t!e protesters S!ibu !as co)ered !is eyes *it! a blac' blind .old, S!ibu CLI: 2 ; 5-LE 7I$#I < 8 T!e la* is blind and it *ill al*ays remain so, It doesnt see anyt!ing( it doesnt see anyone, $o* *e also *ant to turn blind so t!at *e also cant see anyt!ing, 8 T!e Supreme Court up!eld a colonial era la* t!at considers gay sex a serious o..ence punis!able *it! up to 2=1year in &ail, In >==?( t!e #el!i 7ig! Court struc' do*n t!e la* arguing t!at it )iolates t!e rig!ts o. e6uality( pri)acy and dignity guaranteed under t!e constitution, S"0/1> Sounds .rom t!is years gay pride parade T!e >==? &udgment !ad allo*ed people to organi+e e)ents li'e t!is gay pride parade .ar more openly,

It !elp protect gay people .rom being .ired because o. t!eir sexuality( and !as meant t!at doctors could no longer re.use to treat !omosexuals, Rudrani CLI: 2 ; 5-LE 7I$#I < 8We became .ree citi+ens *!o did not need to !ide and could lead an almost normal li.e( but .rom today *e are again criminals and can again be sub&ected to !arassment and abuse,9 T!e country remains o)er*!elmingly conser)ati)e and sex outside marriage( e)en among !eterosexual couples( is largely .ro*ned upon, It seems unli'ely t!e go)ernment *ill ris' ta'ing a stand on t!e issue in t!e s!ort term, "eneral elections are due by next 5ay and t!e socially conser)ati)e 7indu nationalist opposition is already gat!ering momentum, 7indu religious leaders li'e @oga "uru aba Ram #e) !a)e *elcomed t!e Supreme courts decision, Ram #e) CLI: 2 ; 5-LE 7I$#I < 8 y declaring 7omosexuality illegal and a criminal o..ence t!e Supreme Court !as s!o*n respect to t!e .eelings o. 7indus( 5uslims( C!ristians( Si'!s and millions o. ot!er Indians *!o belie)e in morality, 7omosexuality is a )iolation o. !uman rig!ts( it is in!uman( immoral( unreasonable( unscienti.ic and unnatural, "ay rig!ts groups could no* see' a re)ie* to o)erturn t!e Supreme Court's ruling( but t!ese options rarely succeed, S0/ A 5%RE :R%TEST S%B$# T!e acti)ists li'e "autam !an !ope to !a)e more success by using t!e media and protests li'e t!is one to put public pressure on t!e court .or a B1turn, !an CLI: 2 ; 5-LE E$"LIS7 < 8We .oug!t t!e !ardest battle o. our li)es to accept *!o *e *ere inside our o*n !earts, I. t!is court t!in's t!at it 'no*s *!at .ear is li'e( t!ey !a)e not li)ed t!at moment t!at e)ery 6ueer person in t!is country !as li)ed and t!ey *ill listen to us today t!at i. *e sur)i)ed our o*n demons *e *ill sur)i)e t!is institution as *ell,9 0rom $e* #el!i( t!is is ismilla! "eelani .or -sia Calling