This World Cup has given us a lot to cheer about the underdogs and now, we’ve found new people to stan. Six LGBT activists defied Russia’s regressive law which bans the spreading of “gay propaganda”, which has been in place since 2013. These legends wore football jerseys of different colours and stood/sat in such a manner that it represented the Pride flag.
The flag, for the uninitiated, looks like a rainbow and is flown horizontally. The BBC reports that the activists are Marta Márquez from Spain, Eric Houter from the Netherlands, Eloi Pierozan Junior from Brazil, Guillermo León from Mexico, Vanesa Paola Ferrario from Colombia and Mateo Fernández Gómez from Argentina.
in russia, the act of displaying the LGBT flag in public can get you arrested. so these 6 activists from latin america resorted to creativity: wearing uniforms from their countries’ football teams, they turned themselves into the flag and walked around moscow with pride. 🏳️🌈 pic.twitter.com/7Q2HgLemzh
— gabi (@harleivy) July 8, 2018
The project was called ‘Hidden Flag’ and has been a massive hit amongst LGBT groups, especially since it feels like Russia experienced a little bit of the joy of pride parades, even as they took place with full gusto across the globe.
For the Indian LGBTQ community, this comes in the wake of the landmark hearing in our Supreme Court regarding Section 377. The regressive law has been a massive bane on the community and categorises them as criminals if they express their love in a physical manner. The Centre, on Wednesday, left the decision to decriminalise consensual gay sex to the apex court and stated that it would not challenge it.
#Section377 : “Our order is much older”, says Rohatgi and points to Shikhandi in Mahabharata.
“This order itself is natural, is that your point?”, Justice Rohinton Nariman.
“Yes”, Rohatgi. #SupremeCourt
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) July 10, 2018
One good thing that has come out of the ridiculous #Section377 is that it has united most of the left, right & centre. Maybe a good time to note that differing political opinions don’t mean we are enemies of human rights. #JusticeForLGBTQi #IndiaAgainst377 https://t.co/GqA4zrh1W5
— Apurva Asrani (@Apurvasrani) July 9, 2018
Seriously heartening to read tweets demanding scrapping #Section377 from all political spectrums.
Everyone except Swamyji and his fanboys seem to agree it needs to go.
— 🌈 Meghnad 🏳️🌈 (@Memeghnad) July 10, 2018
Because of this colonial law, people who identify as LGBTQ are denied basic civil rights and have to live in fear of getting arrested, conned, blackmailed or even killed. Society’s mindset can only be changed once LGBTQ rights are guaranteed by the Constitution. Many netizens appear positive about the outcome of the hearing and one can only hope that the Supreme Court, in all its wisdom, stands by a minority community whose only crime right now is that they choose to love someone the way cis-couples do.
