JAIPUR: While discussing Section 377 of the IPC which criminalizes gay sex, it's instructive to look at the example of Catholic Ireland, which in the 2015 referendum voted to allow gay marriage. A staggering 63% of the people voted 'yes' , said novelist Colm Toibin at the Jaipur Literature Festival on Saturday.Academic and gay rights activist R Raj Rao, however, said he was against "coming out" in India. After the 2009 ruling of the Delhi High Court, people thought they could at last declare themselves gay without breaking the law. But the Supreme Court ruling of 2013 overturning the HC order came as a rude shock, he said. Since that order, over 500 people have been arrested under Section 377.Rao said for gays to "come out" was to hope for acceptance - which was asking for too much. Often it would end up taking away what joy there is in the life of a gay person.But, perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel. Toibin described how gay people and their supporters went about campaigning ahead of the referendum. The church had been urging people to vote 'no'. Toibin said those advocating gay rights conducted a peaceful and persuasive campaign.The strategy was to make the whole issue personal - voters were urged to think of a scenario where someone in their own family declared him or herself gay. Campaigners went knocking on people's doors and sometimes mothers of the gay men joined, too. Those who were part of the campaign were instructed not to show anger or raise their voices, but to be pleasant and persuasive. The appeal was to grant gay men and lesbian women the right to marry and enjoy love and companionship, just like other Irish people.The irish campaign was boosted by large presence of gay and lesbian people who "came out" ahead of the referendum. Irish health minister Leo Varadkar, who is part-Indian, declared he was gay. A prominent TV anchor declared she was lesbian. Justin, son of former president of Ireland Mary McAleese, said he was gay and endorsed the 'yes' vote. Toibin said so many people were "coming out" that he began to think the whole country was gay!The positive vote in the referendum, Toibin said, impacted not just the gay people of his country, but the whole of Ireland. Can India hope for something similar?