E-Paper
Amid SC hearing, comedian Vir Das defends same-sex marriage: ‘Loving another human…’
Vir Das defended the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and said loving another human being is completely normal.
As the Supreme Court Tuesday began hearing a batch of pleas on legalising same-sex marriage in India, comedian Vir Das defended the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community and said, “loving another human being is the most normal thing in the world.”
Das’ remarks came in response to a Twitter user, who claimed “psychology says homosexuality is not normal” – a notion repeatedly debunked by the globally recognised psychiatric associations. In fact the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) position that homosexuality is not an illness - had played a key role in the 2018 top court judgement that decriminalised homosexuality.
“Madam, loving another human being is the most normal thing in the world. I'm not sure whether your problem is homosexuality, or tourism, or both. Straight or gay, in my experience, if you let two people get married, that leads to WAY less roaming around,” the comedian tweeted.
Also Read| ‘Urban elitist views’: Centre opposes same-sex marriage in Supreme Court
Warning: Some content may be triggering for individuals, viewer discretion is advised.
Their interaction followed the user’s reply to Das’ earlier tweet, where he hoped the top court would favour the LGBTQIA+ community as it commenced hearing today. “Hoping our honourable SC legalises same-sex marriage today,” his tweet read.
Director Vivek Agnihorti also countered the Centre’s stance on same-sex marriage and said its not “urban elitist views”, in a tweet earlier. Stating it was not a concept but a right, Agnihotri advocated that same sex marriages shouldn’t be a crime. The Centre has opposed the pleas contending that legalising same-sex marriage would cause “complete havoc” with the equilibrium of personal laws and widely recognised societal values, marriage is a “heterogenous institution”, among other arguments.
A five-judge Supreme Court bench consisting of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices S K Kaul, S Ravindra Bhat, PS Narasimha, and Hima Kohli are hearing on a clutch of at least 15 petitions, through which, the LGBTQIA+ community seeks wider constitutional entitlements based on the right to life and personal liberty, the right to dignity, and other related rights.
