The Indian Supreme Court has decided that a colonial-era law, known as Section 377 of the penal code, that criminalized “unnatural consensual sex” was unconstitutional. The ruling means that the LGBTQ community in India now does not need to fear criminal prosecution for their behavior. The decision does not legalize same-sex marriage, but it is a dramatic step forward in the expansion of human rights in the world. According to PinkNews:
“Justice DY Chandrachud said that LGBT+ people “have equal rights,” adding that “this case is much more than just decriminalising a provision.
“It is about an aspiration to realise constitutional rights and the equal existence of the LGBT community as other citizens.”
Whether these rights will be regarded as universal remains to be seen. More than 70 countries still have laws criminalizing homosexuality.
Activists Celebrate the Decision
Sweden is holding its national elections on Sunday, and there is growing evidence that the Sweden Democrats, a right-wing party opposed to immigration, will do very well at the polls. The Sweden Democrats have strong support in the rural areas of Sweden. Sweden admitted more than 160,000 refugees seeking political asylum in 2015 and the influx of refugees has coincided with an increase in crime in the country, although there is no evidence of a connection between the two facts. The election will likely not produce a majority government, so smaller parties, including the Sweden Democrats, will have an outsized voice in the new government. The rise of the right wing is testimony to the radical changes in the ethos of the open society that has been the hallmark of Swedish society for many years.
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