Menaka Guruswamy Becomes India's First Openly Queer MP

# Menaka Guruswamy Becomes India's First Openly Queer MP ### Why in News? Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy took oath as a Rajya Sabha member on April 6, 2026, becoming India's first openly queer MP. ### Who is Menaka Guruswamy? - She is a **senior advocate** in the Supreme Court and was the lead lawyer in the **Navtej Singh Johar case (2018)** that read down **Section 377 IPC**, decriminalizing homosexuality. - She was nominated by the **All India Trinamool Congress (AITC)** from **West Bengal**. - She was named in **TIME's 100 Most Influential People** in 2019. ### Exam Connect **Rajya Sabha** → Established under **Article 80**, members serve **6 years**, and the **Vice President** is the Chairman. **Section 377** → Colonial-era law (1861), struck down for consensual adult acts in 2018. ### Remember This > **Menaka Guruswamy → First openly queer MP → Rajya Sabha (AITC) → Lead lawyer in Section 377 case (2018)**