When love wins: Framing analysis of the Indian media’s coverage of Section 377, decriminalization of same-sex relationships

Abstract

In 2018, the Indian Supreme Court overturned Section 377 of the Penal Code which criminalized consensual homosexual sex between adults. This study examines the Indian media’s framing of this repeal, the sources quoted and the prominence given to the issue. Findings reveal that the human/civil rights frame was most common; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) sources were most prominent, and the issue was covered prominently in most major media outlets.