By Ashley Gutierrez"The social stigma will remain. It is [still] a long struggle. But the ruling will help in HIV prevention. Gay men can now visit doctors and talk about their problems. It will help in preventing harassment at police stations." - Ashok Row Kavi, leading gay rights activist
Today, a 148-year-old colonial law in India was overturned: homosexual intercourse is no longer a criminal act. What used to be punishable by a ten year prison sentence is now legal, after Delhi's High Court deemed that criminalizing gay sex is a "violation of fundamental rights."
What a huge step for such a conservative country.
Here in Accra, where the HIV prevalence rate is 3.0%, homosexuality is unthinkable. One of the Yalies here in Ghana with me interns as a research biologist in a laboratory at the country's best university. She shared a story with me yesterday about a discussion she had with the scientists she worked with. They asked her, cautiously (as it is taboo to even speak of it here), what she thought about homosexuality. My friend respectfully replied that she saw no problem with it, that many think it has a genetic cause. The scientists were horrified. None could comprehend the possibility of such a claim; some were offended, others amused at her view.
Indeed, as Kavi notes above, it is still a long struggle. But India has taken its first step. We can only wish Ghana and many other countries will wait less than 148 years to take theirs.
What a huge step for such a conservative country.
Here in Accra, where the HIV prevalence rate is 3.0%, homosexuality is unthinkable. One of the Yalies here in Ghana with me interns as a research biologist in a laboratory at the country's best university. She shared a story with me yesterday about a discussion she had with the scientists she worked with. They asked her, cautiously (as it is taboo to even speak of it here), what she thought about homosexuality. My friend respectfully replied that she saw no problem with it, that many think it has a genetic cause. The scientists were horrified. None could comprehend the possibility of such a claim; some were offended, others amused at her view.
Indeed, as Kavi notes above, it is still a long struggle. But India has taken its first step. We can only wish Ghana and many other countries will wait less than 148 years to take theirs.
