Indonesia’s Top Court Rejects Petition to Outlaw Gay Sex

The highest court in Indonesia declined to rule in favor of anti-gay opponents to make homosexuality illegal in the country.

The Constitutional Court ruled Thursday in a 5-4 vote to dismiss the petition of religious conservatives in the archipelago nation that would criminalize homosexual behavior.

The ruling is a slim but satisfying victory for queer people in Indonesia. During the last two years, the fourth-most populous country on the planet has felt a renewed crackdown on LGBTQ people. Gay couples have been arrested, and even canned, in some provinces, and the country has threatened to ban all online media with LGBTQ content.

Let's hope this ruling is the turning of the tide for LGBTQ activists in the country.