Protests erupt across India against Transgender Persons Bill
Protests took place on March 18 in Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru and Kochi; a second round of protests occurred on Sunday, March 22, in locations including Panaji (Goa) and at the Chennai Press Club after the government introduced the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill, 2026.
Many in the transgender community say the bill could make life harder by taking away their right to self-identify and putting more barriers between them and basic support.
People are calling for the bill to be withdrawn, saying it doesn't reflect their lived experiences.
Medical certificates, private medical records and gender: why the anger
The new bill would force transgender people to get a medical certificate just to have their gender recognized: something activists say goes against a Supreme Court ruling from 2014 that supported self-identification.
Critics argue it excludes many gender identities and could even criminalize support systems within the community. As activist Zena Sagar put it, its categories feel arbitrary and unfair.
The bill also asks for hormone treatment proof and access to private medical records, raising big privacy concerns among protesters.