Q: What does Indian penal code 377 say? What is the status of homosexuality and what types of disease can such relationships transmit?

A:According to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), same sex sexual relations (i.e., between man and man; and woman and woman) are "crimes" and can be punished by a jail term (maximum: life sentence) if caught by the law enforcing agencies. This was applicable even when such sexual relations were made with consent of both the partners. However, just 2 days ago, the High Court of Delhi has repealed this provision. You would have read the details in the newspapers. The sexually transmitted diseases that can be transmitted through unsafe homosexual relations are same as those transmitted by any type of unsafe sexual relations and include HIV/ AIDS, Syphilis, Gonorrhoea, Chancroid, Hepatitis–B, etc.