Today, 3 years ago, the Article 377 in the Indian Constitution was outlawed. This law had criminalised homosexuality and made any sexual identity that went "against the order of nature" illegal. Basically, if you were not straight, your existence was against the law, and you could be fined, jailed or beaten to death and it would be backed by the law. Yeah, being beaten to death would be backed by the law.
It just hit me a while back how just a few years ago, my very existence would be illegal. Someone could hurt me and everyone would be fine with it. Not that they still can't, social acceptance of any and all sexual and romantic orientations is still quite low in India. But they would have the support of the law.
It scares me so much. I feel terrified for the people who lived in the shadows in the past. I also feel terrified that to a lesser extent, but I too have to live in shadows in the future.
Even though changes are coming for the better, they are slow and they are impeded by social obstacles and a mindset that's been brainwashed by colonial rule.
2021 was the year in which the High Court in Chennai outlawed the existence of conversion camps. But it was also the year in which the government was successfully able to push for the removal of the Public Interest Litigation that was filed in the Supreme Court to make same sex marriages legal.
We've come a long way, but there's a much longer way to go.
Today, remember the people who struggled and lived in darkness for years. Hope that things will get better really soon for others.
If you're from India, keep the fire that was lit 3 years ago ablaze. Keep rebelling from the social norm, even if you have to do it in secret. Even if no one but you knows about your struggle.
If you're not, take a couple minutes today for us. Keep us in your prayers.
A couple thousand years ago, we were a country that was extremely accepting of all genders and sexualities. Even if it takes a thousand years more, we will become that country again.
