A dark day for gay rights

Dear friends,

Two Indian judges just ruled that gay sex is illegal and can be punished with life sentences! Outrage is building, and if enough of us lend our support today, we can embarrass India and get this crazy ruling overturned. Sign now so that love conquers fear in India:

Two Indian Supreme Court judges just decided that gay sex is illegal. ILLEGAL!! But if we act fast we can help reverse this crazy backwards ruling.

Men and women in India now face police harassment and life imprisonment. This hateful decision is being met with outrage, and if we now show India that outlawing love is making them an international embarrassment we can get the Indian Parliament to fast track passing a law that the judges have to respect.

Sign now to help love conquer fear in India. When we reach 1 million we’ll get all our names written on hundreds of giant hearts ringing the Indian parliament, then place prominent ads showing that the world will no longer accept making love illegal:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/indias_gay_outrage_loc/?bIiqNab&v=32699

The shocking court decision came as a surprise. In 2009, a lower court in India had ruled that a colonial-era law making gay sex illegal violated the Indian Constitution. Most people expected the Indian Supreme Court to uphold that ruling. Instead, they reversed it, endorsing the medieval argument that gay sex is "unnatural, immoral and a reflection of a perverse mind."

Indian lawyers are already preparing to challenge the decision in further legal proceedings, but the Indian Court essentially said this is an issue for the Indian Parliament to decide. The Indian government suggested they could take it to Parliament but that they likely won’t have the votes to change the law and that doing so could take a very long time. But if we make India an international scandal for outlawing gay sex, we can help swing votes and speed the process.

Sign now and send this to 10 others -- let’s make the response to the Indian Supreme Court’s decision overwhelming:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/indias_gay_outrage_loc/?bIiqNab&v=32699

In most of the world, gay rights have gone through a watershed decade. People everywhere are realizing, if they hadn’t already, that love is love and deserves respect and protection. But this didn’t happen by accident -- it happened because of conscientious communities like ours who called out injustice wherever we saw it. India is now the next frontier -- let’s join with those in India to stand up for love.

With hope and determination,

Ian, Alex, Alice, Julien, Christoph, Melanie, Emilie, Ricken and the entire Avaaz team

More information

LGBT community outraged as SC rules gay sex illegal, upholds Sec 377
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/lgbt-community-outraged-as-sc-rules-gay-sex-illegal-upholds-sec-377/438991-3.html

India Top Court reinstates gay sex ban
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-25329065

Delhi High Court strikes down Section 377 of IPC
http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/03/stories/2009070358010100.htm

Article 377 and LGBT rights: here's what you need to know
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-article-377-and-lgbt-rights-here-s-what-you-need-to-know-1933370

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