India protests "outdated" gay ban Gay.com UK Thursday 18 August, 2005 11:42 A law introduced during colonial rule that bars gay sex in India is the centre of a legal struggle, with protestors calling for all anti- gay legislation to be dropped.
Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which prohibits homosexuality, was introduced during British rule. Protestors say that is not only out of date, but also that the law is out of step with India's tolerant attitude towards lesbians and gay men. The law is currently facing a legal challenge, placed in the Supreme Court by the Naz Foundation Trust in 2001. Protestors gathered in Mumbai last week, calling on the government to scrap the legislation and offer better protection to lesbian and gay citizens. They are launching a petition, which they hope will raise awareness of the issue and also display the level of support for the change to government. Those who took part in the demonstration told the mid-day.com website that the legislation was destructive to their well-being. "If a section of society wants to practice sex with a person of the same gender then why should anyone have a problem?" Lawyer Ashish Garg said. "Our constitution ensures freedom of life and personal liberty, but article 377 violates this right." The current legislation outlaws "carnal intercourse against the order of nature", and equates homosexuality with bestiality. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> <font face=arial size=-1><a href="http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12hvv55gf/M=323294.6903899.7846637.3022212/D=groups/S=1705064406:TM/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1124398784/A=2896130/R=0/SIG=11llkm9tk/*http://www.donorschoose.org/index.php?lc=yahooemail";>Give underprivileged students the materials they need to learn. Bring education to life by funding a specific classroom project </a>.</font> --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Group Site: http://www.gaybombay.info ========================== This message was posted to the gay_bombay Yahoo! Group. Responses to messages (by clicking "Reply") will also be posted on the eGroup and sent to all members. If you'd like to respond privately to the author of any message then please compose and send a new email message to the author's email address. Post:- gay_bombay@yahoogroups.com Subscribe:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Digest Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] No Mail Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Individual Mail Mode:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Contact Us:- [EMAIL PROTECTED] Archives are at http://www.mail-archive.com/gay_bombay%40yahoogroups.com/maillist.html Classifieds for personal advertisements are back on www.gaybombay.info site. Please exercise restraint in the language of your personal advertisement. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gay_bombay/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
