Love is Love: This is how Google, Facebook celebrated Section 377 verdict

New Delhi, Sep 7: After the Supreme Court of India ruled that homosexuality is no longer a crime, saying sexual orientation is natural and people have no control on it, the decision witnessed immense jubilation and joy from the LGBTQ community.

With the apex court verdict, India joins 125 other countries where homosexuality is legal.

However, 72 countries and territories worldwide still continue to criminalise same-sex relationships, including 45 in which such relationships between women are outlawed.

Google India puts out a rainbow flag

Google India put out a 'rainbow flag' on its homepage on Thursday to mark the decriminalisation of consensual gay sex by the Supreme Court.

The internet giant, known for its timely theme doodle on various occasions put the colourful icon below the search bar on its webpage.

A message 'celebrating equals rights' pops up when a cursor is moved over it.

Image credit:google.co.in

Facebook display multi-hued icon

The India page of social media behemoth Facebook also changed its display picture to a multi-hued icon.

The rainbow flag, commonly known as the gay pride flag or LGBT pride flag, is a symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) pride and LGBT social movements.

Image credit: facebook.com/FacebookIndia

Historic judgement

The path-breaking judgement held that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalised consensual gay sex was "irrational, indefensible and manifestly arbitrary".

While a constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra said the 158-year-old law had become an "odious weapon" to harass the LGBT community by subjecting them to discrimination and unequal treatment, a judge also said that history owed an apology to the community and their families for the delay in providing redressal for the "ignominy" and "ostracism" they have faced through the centuries.

It said Section 377 was a product of Victorian-era morality and there was no reason to continue with it as it enforced Victorian morale on the citizens of the country.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)