On September 6th, 2018, a five-judge panel struck through and overturned a section of the Indian Penal Code known as Section 377 which criminalized consensual homosexual sexual relations. It seems but a small victory when it comes to the mountain of change that is yet to come.

India’s queer population is still disqualified from certain otherwise inalienable rights, same-sex marriage being the most significant. Nevertheless, Section 377 was weaponized against LGBT Indian citizens for years and it’s revocation is a landmark and paves a path for more momentous rulings.

These disenfranchised individuals were losing hope in the system and losing pride in their country. The decision of the court acted as a catalyst, just a bit of change to reaffirm a sense of self-worth that can be often lost growing up queer in such a traditional environment. It is important to persist in the fight for further rights and further legal action against the unjust laws of old. With hope in balled fist and love in heart, we may soon see a same-sex ruling for India.