- Meryl Sebastian
- BBC News-Delhi
1 hour ago
The two girls felt threatened
A court in India has ordered the reunion of two gay women in Kerala state, but they fear their relationship will not be accepted by their families.
Adela Nasreen, 22, had submitted a petition to the court claiming that her partner’s family had kidnapped her.
On Monday, the court issued a ruling granting Nasreen the right to reside with her partner, Fatima Noura (23 years).
The two young women said that the ruling gave them great happiness, but that they did not feel “completely free”.
LGBT people in India face hostility and discrimination despite a 2018 court ruling removing the “criminal suspicion” of homosexuality.
Although there is an active gay rights movement in India, its impact is noticeable only in major cities.
Nasreen and Noura told local media that they met and fell in love while they were studying in Saudi Arabia. Although their relationship began years ago, they did not tell their families regarding it until last month.
“For the past years, we felt suffocated in our homes,” Noura told a news station on Tuesday.
The two young women stated that they faced strong opposition from their families since they revealed their relationship.
picture released, Vanaja Collective via Facebook
The two girls received support from many sides
They took refuge in Vanaga, a shelter for LGBTQ people and other marginalized groups in Kozhikode district in northern Kerala state.
While at the shelter, the two young women agreed that Nasreen would go home with her parents, following getting a promise not to harm them. But Noura’s family forcibly removed her from the shelter following several days, they said.
Nasreen filed a complaint with the police and went to the court, requesting a residence permit with her friend. Noura appeared in court on Tuesday, saying she wanted to be with her partner. Reports indicate that the court issued a ruling in their favour, within minutes.
The Kerala High Court granted permission for two gay women to live together in 2018 following one of them said her partner’s family had kept her at home.
Nasreen told a local magazine that the case had drained them.
“We knew that we had to fight for the right to be together, but we did not expect this support from the media, the court and many people,” Noura told a local TV channel.