During the era of British colonial rule in India, hijras were considered to be members of the “criminal castes” and their practices subject to significant legal regulation. Furthermore, Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (1864) criminalized same-sex activities. In April 2014 the Supreme Court of India recognized the existence of a third gender, allowing hijras and others with similar identities to legally identify as such. This ruling granted hijras official minority status and access to government assistance. In 2018 the Supreme Court of India partially struck down Section 377, decriminalizing same-sex sexual relations in a further attempt at destigmatizing the community.
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