The Delhi High Court order decriminalising homosexuality will help fight the spread of HIV in India. But so far, gay men and transgenders have remained underground, afraid that they will be targetted under Section 377, which will make it difficult to reach out to them for HIV treatment.
Eight years ago Ramesh, an advocate with the Humsafar Trust, discovered he was HIV positive. But it took him over a year to see a doctor because he was scared to reveal he was gay.
"If the doctor asked me how I had got it what was I going to tell him. I did not know if I should tell him the truth because of Section 377. I did not know how he would react if I told him," he said.
India is witnessing an alarming rise in HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSMs). Seven out of every 100 MSMs are infected with HIV, making them the highest risk group.
But faced with a law which criminalises the gays and trangenders have been largely driven underground making it hard to reach out to them.
"On one hand we have these meetings where we are educating them about HIV treatment and yet they cannot actually avail of the medical services when they need it," said Vivek Anand, Chief Executive, Humsafar Trust.
The Delhi High Court order won't just help gay people come out of the closet, it will go a long way in helping to counter the spread of HIV.
