The Supreme Court of India began hearing petitions seeking the legalisation of same-sex marriage on April 18, 2023. Whether Supreme Court, or Parliament, will pave the way for same-sex marriage in the coming days will be seen, but the question that has come up for the debate on marriage equality is whether same sex marriage is an 'urban elitist concept' or integral right in comparison to other rights enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
The institutions of civil society are important because they areneither created nor controlled by the state. While public funding requires accountability and some services require training, skills,and a professional approach, this is entirely within the capabilityof the voluntary sector. Government should not be allowed to seducecommunity groups into becoming its mouthpiece or an extension ofitself.
“Pediatrics Group Backs Gay Marriage, Saying It Helps Children,” proclaims a headline in the New York Times. But the advocacy group presented no new studies, no new data, to support this claim. And the studies the group cites have been shown to be insufficient to come to this conclusion about same-sex parenting.