In Hope For Equality: Twitter Celebrates 3 Yrs of Decriminalising Homosexuality
"I am what I am. Take me as I am."
With these lines, history was made in India.
In a 493-page verdict on 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court read down Section 377, a groundbreaking verdict on Navtej Singh Johar & Others. v. Union of India – decriminalising homosexuality in the country.
Three years later, people from the community and their allies took to Twitter to celebrate the landmark verdict that loudly, and clearly spelt out that it was no longer a criminal offence to be gay in India.
'The Morning Everything Changed'
Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, one of the lawyers who fought the case, said that while 'so much changed' on the morning of 6 September, there was 'a distance to go'.
Many others marked the day, pointing that the verdict was a 'breath of fresh air.'
September 6, 2018, The morning when so much changed. We have a distance to go, but we’re on our way. And we will get to the ‘Promised Land’, of full constitutional equality. #navtejjauhar #supremecourt #freedomtolove
— Menaka Guruswamy (@MenakaGuruswamy) September 6, 2021
The verdict was a breath of fresh air in stifling times when majoritarian politics is indeed seeking to suppress constitution rights and dictate people’s choice of diet, faith, clothes, partner, views, and ways of expressing themselves. #Section377
— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) September 6, 2021
Because who we may choose to love is only for us to decide.
Celebrating the #Section377 verdict 3 years on.#Section377Verdict #loveislove #LGBTQIA pic.twitter.com/aggPdZeL2G— Mitali Mukherjee (@MitaliLive) September 6, 2021
Also Read: Coming Out to Celebrity Crushes: Honest Conversations Ft Moms & Their Queer Kids
'Our Life, Dignity Was Restored'
Some pointed that the reading down of Section 377 ensured that the dignity of homosexuals was restored and while it was redundant for a long time, it needed 'systemic courage' to decriminalise same-sex raltionships.
And of course, the law was read down, and our life and dignity was restored. :)
— harish ️ (he/she) (@hiyer) September 6, 2021
Just to remind ourselves that not so in the distant past, people were criminals for who they were and who they loved.
Reading down of #Section377 was historic, but there are still miles to go. #LGBTQRights pic.twitter.com/AQKDu1V6ED— aakash mehrotra ️ (@aakashmehrotra) September 6, 2021
Today is the anniversary of the historic Section 377 judgement which finally removed the colonial law that criminalised same sex love, and brought India closer to its own ethos. It had been redundant for a long time but was waiting for systemic courage which was finally shown.
— HindolSengupta (@HindolSengupta) September 6, 2021
Also Read: Section 377 and How the Supreme Court Made History
'Joyous Rainbow In the Sky'
From dancing with dhol to sneaking phones to get updates on proceedings, people also spoke about what they were doing on the day the verdict came out.
my favorite day of 2018.
we all were dancing and singing with dhol nagade in college that exact moment the news broke out - our mukhauta the dramatics society just took over the corridors and foyer area.
all du colleges were celebrating, it was a joyous rainbow in the sky! ❤️ https://t.co/xM8ynec64C— Prakriti Sharma (@prakritiaryaa) September 6, 2021
it's been three years since section 377 was struck down and you cannot begin to imagine the relief queer people felt that day. i remember being at school, my friend had sneaked her phone in to check the court proceedings, we hugged and cried at the end of it.
— zira/cas (himbo era) (@swordofzira) September 6, 2021
This day 6th September in 2018 a large section of Indians got freedom the inhuman #Section377 was decriminalized
Azadi Mubarak beautiful souls ❤️#PRIDE ️ pic.twitter.com/Stt4ybwluA— Ritushree (@QueerNaari) September 6, 2021
Also Read: What It Felt Like to Be Queer The Day Section 377 Was Read Down
. Read more on Gender by The Quint.In Hope For Equality: Twitter Celebrates 3 Yrs of Decriminalising HomosexualityDon't End Up on Your Deathbed: Rahul Roy's Advice to Young Actors . Read more on Gender by The Quint.
