Forward-Looking 377 Order Holds Lessons for the World (2018)

With the overturning, in 2018, of a centuries-old colonial-era anti-sodomy law, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the Constitution protects the sexual experiences of LGBTQ people. This opinion piece considers the significance of this landmark ruling for India, and for the rest of the world, in setting an example of forward-looking reasoning and transformational constitutionalism in affirming sexual and gender identity. The essay cautions that, while it remains to be seen how this ruling will end up being implemented, it holds the promise of justice.