India's Supreme Court Denies Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage, Misses Historic Opportunity

India's Supreme Court has refused to legalize same-sex marriages, stating that it is the responsibility of Parliament to decide on expanding marriage laws to include queer unions. The court urged the government to uphold the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and end discrimination against them. While legal rights for LGBTQ+ people in India have been expanding over the past decade, the government has resisted the legal recognition of same-sex marriage. The court accepted the government's offer to set up a special panel to explore granting social and legal benefits to same-sex couples.