WAS Statement: Banning Homosexual Sex in India Disregards Basic Sexual Rights
- WAS Digital
- Dec 18, 2013
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 24
PRESS RELEASE
[London, United Kingdom] – The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) strongly condemns the decision by India’s Supreme Court to reinstate Section 377 of the Penal Code, effectively re-criminalising consensual same-sex relations between adults. This regressive ruling undermines the fundamental rights to privacy, dignity, and equality, and reinforces harmful stigma against LGBTQ+ individuals.
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18 December 2013
Ruling by India’s Supreme Court banning homosexual sex disregards basic sexual and human rights
India’s Supreme Court re-criminalised consensual adult same-sex relations and referred to the colonial era penal code 377 that describes homosexual sex being “against the order nature”. The law behind the ruling is obsolete and erroneous: homosexuality is a natural phenomenon that occurs in every society throughout the globe. It is also known to occur in many other species.
The ruling, by demeaning persons for their sexual orientation, is discriminating and degrading, and thus should be overturned immediately.
The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) condemns all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientations. In its Declaration of Sexual Rights, WAS recognises the right to express and realize one’s sexuality regardless of sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, race, social class, religion, or physical and emotional disability as a fundamental human right (WAS, 1999).
We stand and speak up together with Indian people who fight for rights to equality, privacy and dignity.
The WAS endorses the resolution of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, which calls for an end of discrimination and recognises the matter as a “priority issue” of the U.N.
Kevan Wylie
President World Association for Sexual Health
Yuko Higashi
Co-Chair, Sexual Rights Committee World Association for Sexual Health
Tommi Paalanen
Co-Chair, Sexual Rights Committee World Association for Sexual Health
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About WAS
WAS promotes sexual health throughout the lifespan and through the world by developing, promoting and supporting sexology and sexual rights for all. WAS accomplishes this by advocacy actions, networking, facilitating the exchange of information, ideas and experiences and advancing scientifically based sexuality research, sexuality education and clinical sexology, with a multi and trans-disciplinary approach. WAS represents over 100 sexological and sexual health organisations around the world.
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