Parents of LGBTQIA+ members write to CJI, seek 'marriage equality'

Parents of more than 400 LGBTQIA+ children have written an open letter to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud asking him to consider the plea for marriage equality, reported CNBC. This comes as the Supreme Court hearing regarding same-sex marriage legalization in India entered its fourth day on Tuesday. Notably, the parents are members of a support group called Sweekar- The Rainbow Parents.

In its letter to the CJI, the group said, "We desire to see our children and our children-in-law find legal acceptance for their relationship under the Special Marriage Act in our country." "It took us education, debate, and patience with our LGBTQIA+ children to realize that their lives, their feelings, and their desires are valid," the parents added.

The members of the support group also emphasized that most of them are growing old, with several approaching the age of 80. Citing the landmark judgment by the apex court on Section 377 and decriminalization of same-sex relationships, the group said, "... hope we get to see the legal stamp on the rainbow marriages of our children in our lifetime."

The top court's five-judge Constitution bench began hearing a batch of pleas regarding the legalization of marriage for non-heterosexual couples on April 18. Meanwhile, in a controversial move on Sunday, the Bar Council of India (BCI) passed a resolution opposing the grant of legal status to same-sex marriage. Previously, the Centre opposed the plea, saying same-sex relationships are fundamentally different from traditional Indian families.