Imphal/Guwahati/Shillong: The Supreme Court judgment on Thursday making homosexuality legal and decriminalizing consensual gay sex in the country by reading down Section 377 of IPC was welcomed across the northeast."The trans community in Manipur has been fighting against the archaic Section 377 for a long time and with the announcement of the apex court's landmark judgement, we take it as our happiest moment in our lives," said Santa Khurai, who is also the co-founder of All Manipur Nupi Maanbi Association (Amana)."We, the collective members and allies of lesbian, gay, bi, trans, intersex and other queer (LGBTIQA+) communities welcome today's SC verdict that decriminalized consensual relations among adults of any gender. We are here to celebrate this great and remarkable judgement. It is a privilege for the trans community. The ruling has also made us feel like coming out from a cocoon," Santa added.Echoing Santa, president of All Transmen Association, Manipur (Atma), Diana Potsangbam, said, "We are all human beings and we have the right to live with dignity at the fullest and such rights have been given to the community by the Supreme Court."In a first, the Manipur government had opened separate toilets for transgenders during last year's Sangai festival, the biggest state-sponsored tourism festival, and a separate sitting space for the community at the Out Patients Department (OPD) of the Centre-run RIMS hospital in Imphal In Meghalaya, members and supporters of the LGBT community will organize a 'street celebration' of the landmark SC ruling at Police Bazar in Shillong from Friday 4 pm. An advocate who has been assisting human rights groups said, "Most importantly, LGBT people will not have to live in the shadows for fear of being persecuted because of their sexual orientation."An activist of Shamakami, a gay rights group, said, "By legally removing the stigma associated with homosexuality, people with different sexual orientations can assume greater confidence while going about their day-to-day activities."Chief executive member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) HS Shylla had recently said the council does not recognize transgender people, drawing sharp criticism from members of the LGBT community.Activists in Assam have also welcomed the Supreme Court verdict. In the northeast, it was in Guwahati that the first Pride walk was organized in 2014. This was followed by Manipur Pride the following year and Northeast Pride the same year.Transgender activist Swati Bidhan Baruah said that the community has finally got the independence which they deserved for long. "I'm happy today. At last the patriarchal colonial rule finally got abolished. Now we are independent in the true sense," said Baruah."My heart is filled with memories of so many others to whom we owe this moment. This has happened because of the support of many. I believed this day would come one day and now it is here," Lucky Neog, a transgender activist, told TOI. "People from the LGBTQIA community have the same rights as other people in society. Section 377 has finally quit India. Now, I can do my transition and live peacefully. I am feeling independent. Love always wins no matter what. I am a proud Indian now," he added.

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