We now need to change the mindset for more acceptance: Manak Matiyani

For Rituparna Borah, a well-known face behind Delhi's Pride parade, the morning was a zen-like sea of calm. She says that there was no way to believe in a hostile judgement, because she felt that hope was now the only succour. When the judgement was pronounced, standing outside the apex court, she let the tears flow.

"It was happiness and excitement, added with the remembrance for all the people who have fought to get us here today," says Borah. "I can only remember saying to my closest friend, 'We won'. Everything else seems like a blur."

For Manak Matiyani of the YP Foundation, by focussing on constitutional morality, the bench have fought for human rights. "The judgement says, in clear words, that constitutional morality and not any other standard should be the norm, making it very clear that this inequality has persisted for years and must be corrected. The work for many of us now is to ensure that mindsets of people and communities change; this judgement is a great tool for that," says Matiyani.

Anjan Joshi of the Society for People, Awareness, Care and Empowerment (SPACE) says that the judgement, although laudable, is a start. "This will pave the way for the right to marriage, the right to adopt, and the right to live our lives in our own terms," said Joshi.

Borah says that she and her friends are now going to sit down for a reading session from Friday to read each section of the 495-page judgement. "The judgment is forward-thinking; it has a feminist outlook and tackles the issues faced by lesbian and bisexual communities, and also speaks for the need for mental health," says Borah.

Matiyani, however, adds that there is a lot more work to do. "We need to work hard to ensure trans and gender non-conforming persons are able to really benefit from this legal change. We need to ensure they do not face violence, are able to access legal and police systems for protection, and that there is no discrimination in organisations and institutions especially in education and health. The judgement strengthen all of that work," he says.