BHUBANESWAR: Jubilation erupted in the city on Thursday as members of the LGBTIQA+ community came out onto the streets to welcome the Supreme Court's landmark verdict against Section 377 of the IPC. They danced, sang, unfurled the rainbow Pride flag, hugged each other, distributed sweets, cut cakes and played with colours."This is a historic judgement. We have been fighting for the scrapping of the colonial law for years. Finally, the Supreme Court has upheld the right to equality and privacy of an individual irrespective of sex. The law not only caused problems for the people of the LGBTQ community, it even affected heterosexuals who wanted to make love in their own way," said Meera Parida, a leading LGBTQA+ activist of the state."There is no rule that a person must love in a particular way; it is their choice and no one else's business. We are thankful to the judges for understanding this," she added.People of the community face many challenges - being disowned by their families, being discriminated against, finding little employment opportunity and acute poverty. Many, especially transgenders, end up begging or prostituting themselves.The Supreme Court verdict sets free members of the LGBTQA+ community from the tag of criminality. Activists hoped it would give them access to basic services."Today is an emotional moment for all of us. Many of us had become victims of this law through no fault of ours. It will help bring about a change in the mindset of the public towards the LGBTQA+ community," said Sadhana Mishra, a transwoman.The members of the community also expressed hope that after this judgement, families would accept gender non-conforming children without fear and hesitation. "We hope the verdict will have bigger repercussions in the lives of the LGBTQA+ people. We dream of a day when children are not bullied in schools and adults get equal rights in the workplace and family," said Menaka Kinnar, a transwoman.Reigning supreme on Thursday, however, was the feeling of relief. "Now the LGBTQA+ community can lead a life of dignity. We have been trying hard to being it to the mainstream. The change has started after a long fight," Pratap Sahu, president of Odisha Kinnar and Third Gender Association, said. "I remember the days when transgenders were looked down upon. We are hopeful of a better life," Sahu added.Not just activists. Political parties also reacted favourably to the verdict. While Congress's Niranjan Patnaik welcomed it on Twitter , several BJD MPs said it marked an end to the long fight for equal rights.

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