A year of action against Section 377 in Tamil Nadu since the 11.12.13 verdict
The 11.12.13 verdict of the Supreme Court of India upholding Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, effectively recriminalising same-sex* relationships among consenting adults, has been meet with protests from all over India and abroad. Here we provide a time-line of actions that took place in the state of Tamil Nadu.
If you know of other actions in the state not represented in this list, please please let us know and we will add them.
11 Dec 2013: Demonstration outside Madras Press Club on the day of Verdict [Media coverage from The Hindu here]
11 Dec 2013: Website for 377 archives (377.orinam.net) established a week before judgement starts collating all materials and documents from the Supreme Court decision, including media releases, legal and community analyses.
15 Dec 2013: Global Day of Rage and Press Meet at Madras press club [Media coverage from TOI here]
21 Dec 2013: Members of Chennai Rainbow Coalition (CRC) reached out to the queer community of TN at SIAAP/Pehchan annual meeting to discuss on further action after SC verdict on 377. Tamil Nadu Rainbow Coalition was formed after the meeting.
22 Dec 2013: Members of Chennai Rainbow Coalition met at SAATHII office for a Skype-cast/video observation of the national strategy planning meeting held at Delhi, with a parallel local discussion.
1 Jan 2014: CRC meeting to decide on ‘One month since 377′ protest and ‘Christians against homosexuality’ (CAH-) counter-protest.
4 Jan 2014: Members from CRC and queer members belonging to the Christian faith formed ‘Christians against homophobia’ (CAH+) to challenge religious bigotry [media coverage from Queer Ink here.]
5 Jan 2014: Press meet by CAH+ at Sahodaran to oppose CAH- protest against homosexuality earlier that day. Also led to formation of a national listserv Christians Against Homophobia linking together Christian religious leaders working to make their communities of faith more inclusive.
5 Jan 2014: Catalyst, a city-wide coalition of students for social change, organises a meeting on LGBT issues, in which discussion focusses on the need to oppose the Koushal verdict.
9 Jan, 2014: A national letter-writing campaign addressed to the Chief Justice of India challenging the Supreme Court verdict was initiated with support from Chennai-based group Orinam. Copies of letters from the campaign are archived online at http://377letters.orinam.net [Media coverage from Live Mint here]
11 Jan 2014: ‘One month since 377′ protest, with allies from other progressive movements such as the TN Progressive Writers’ Association, student groups, and Save the Tamils group, coming together to express solidarity. [Photos here]
Jan, 2014: Affidavits from Chennai compiled and submitted as part of Review Petition.
23 Feb, 2014: Public event ‘Reason, Prejudice and the case for LGBT RIghts’ organised by the Secular Humanist group Nirmukta (Chennai FreeThinkers) as part of ThinkFest conference in Chennai brought together lawyers, academicians and community members to present the case for decriminalisation.
28 March, 2014: State Level Consultation on IPC 377 in Chennai organised by SIAAP/Pehchan via 207 against 377.
April-May, 2014: Community discussions discussing NALSA judgement for transgender rights noted that the verdict was in inherent contradiction with the recriminalisation scenario of the 11.12.13 judgement. [Photo essay from Nirmukta here]
June 2014: Chennai Rainbow pride month featured cultural performance events, Pride march and other activities registering opposition to 377.
24-26 July, 2014: Reel Desires – Chennai International Queer Film Festival kept the discussion around 377 going through short films made around Sec 377
13 Sep 2014: Demonstration to amend 377 at state level in TN organised by Nirangal with the support of other member organisations from the Tamil Nadu Rainbow Coalition
8 Dec 2014: Open hearing by SIAAP/Pehchan via 207 against 377 in which Women’s Lawyers’ Association in Chennai express solidarity and support for state level actions.
*While Section 377 criminalises all non-peno-vaginal acts among adults, whether consensual or not, it has primarily been used as a tool for
This timeline was compiled by volunteers from Orinam and Nirangal. If we have inadvertantly left out any events, please let us know and we will add them.
