Section 377 verdict is another victory for Anjali Gopalan in a long crusade

As a pioneer in the field of HIV prevention and care in India and founder of Naz India Foundation, Gopalan's early grouse against Section 377 was simple

For Anjali Gopalan, India's foremost champion of LGBT rights and the face of HIV/AIDS activism, the Supreme Court’s verdict on Thursday to strike down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code and decriminalise homosexuality must feel like the proverbial pot of gold at the end of a slightly jaded, faded rainbow.

Her 17-year-long crusade to overturn the archaic law that makes homosexuality illegal and punishable has finally reached its goal. However, for many, this epic victory may ring hollow — for they have spent most of their lives in the shadow of their closets, and may not be able to