Indian Supreme Court weighs gay sex ruling

BY MATT MILLS – The Supreme Court in the Indian capital New Delhi is hearing arguments from social conservative groups in that country about recriminalizing gay sex, reports the Times of India.

Sex between men was punishable by up to 10 years in prison in India until 2009, when the courts struck down the law. In the span of just a few months, almost one
sixth of the world’s population, some 1.2 billion people, won more freedom over their own sexualities. In the current case, a coalition of socially conservative groups wants the gay sex law reinstated. As the Times reports, the court asked yesterday for the challengers to define “unnatural sex.”

For background, check out some of the work Xtra writers have done on India:

Thousands attend gay pride in India

Indian court decriminalizes gay sex

Legal activist Ponni Arasu on repeal of gay sex law

AIDS Sutra: Untold stories from India

Kaj Hasselriis’s Passage to India series is fascinating.

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