India's LGBTQ+ Discourse Over The Decades

Jun 02, 2023, 12:11 IST

Mukul Sharma

1990

Bombay Dost, India's first magazine for queer men is founded.

1994

Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which deemed gay sex a penable offence, faces its first legal challenge.

1998

Theatres showing Deepa Mehta's 'Fire', based on a lesbian relationship, are vandalised across India.

1999

Soul Kitchen disco in Delhi hosted India's first reported 'gay night'.

2001

Naz Foundation seeks the legalisation of homosexual intercourse between consenting adults.

2002

Naz Foundation challenges Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code in the Delhi High Court.

Ghee and Rice

Ghee (clarified butter) is considered a medicinal food in Ayurveda and is often combined with rice. This combination is easy to digest and provides nourishment to the body without taxing the digestive system.

2009

Delhi High Court decriminalises gay sex and deems Section 377 of IPC a violation of fundamental rights granted by India's constitution.

December 2013

India's Supreme Court upholds Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) to recriminalise gay sex.

2018

India's Supreme Court invalidates Section 377, making homosexuality legal in India. "I am what I am, take me as I am," the then-Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra said while stating the court's judgement.

2023

India's Supreme Court hears a batch of petitions seeking to legalise same-sex marriages in India. The fight for LGBTQ+ dignity continues in India.

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