What Will Change After Delhi HC Ruling On Sec 377?

Today, Delhi HC legalized gay sex between consenting adults.

In a breakthrough judgment, the Delhi High Court on Thursday legalised gay sex among consenting adults holding that the law making it a criminal offence violates fundamental rights

Note that, law that worked against gay sex has been "changed" to decriminalize such acts. #repeal377 was trending on Twitter, but the fact is that It has not been repealed and the law still hold non-consensual and non-vaginal sex as illegal.

How does the ruling change things?

My point of writing this post is different. Hundreds of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders took part in the Queer Pride 2009. The intention was to protest against discrimination and violence against lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders and also to repeal Section 377 of IPC. While Delhi HC ruling is going to come as a relief from a legal perspective, I am not sure if things will change in the society. 

There are millions of homosexuals who have suppressed themselves and gone into a shell fearing the society. With the way things work in Indian society, HC rule will hardly have any effect on people's mindset. Yes, people who participated in the Queer Pride march were forthcoming and will feel certain level of relief, but the people who have suppressed themselves, I am afraid, will remain in the shell. 

A woman wearing some "bold" clothes anywhere in India or a woman stepping out of the house alone after 8.00 pm in Kerala stand a huge chance of inviting some harsh comments from own relatives or neighbors and even worse, get attention of the horny Indian men and resulting in eve-teasing or sexual harassment. Some of these reactions are unlawful and some are not. Much to the disliking of the "subject", typical reaction is - "don't wear "bold" clothes" or "don't step out of the house late in the evenings". Now that's society for you. Things are not going to be any different for homosexuals. 

Changes to the law is great, but the mindset of the society needs to change. Till then, their fight against discrimination and violence will continue ...