India’s government accused of erasing trans people’s autonomy in proposed bill

Activists are opposing a new bill from the Indian Union government that would roll back trans persons’ right to self-determine their gender.

In 2014, the Indian Supreme Court affirmed that trans individuals have the right to self-identify their gender, meaning medical gender-affirming care is not required.

On 13 March, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Union Cabinet Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment, Virendra Kumar, led a proposal to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

The India amendment proposes changes to “self-perceived gender identity” and what defines a “transgender person”

The Union government’s proposed legislation seeks to withdraw transgender people’s right to “self-perceived gender identity” and to redefine who qualifies as a “transgender person”.

The proposed law has been met with protests across the country, with critics, advocates, the transgender community, and their allies launching petitions to oppose the bill.

One such petition, titled Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026, outlines the dangers of the proposed anti-trans legislation.

“This amendment represents a major step backwards” – campaigners call for action against the anti-trans Indian Union government bill

Introduced by Social Justice Minister Virendra Kumar, the statement reads: “This amendment represents a major step backwards.”

The campaign adds: “For over a decade, India has been recognised for adopting an inclusive understanding of the term ‘transgender’.”

“The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 recognised these principles and provided limited protections to one of the largest transgender populations in the world,” the body continues. “The 2026 Amendment Bill dismantles this model.”

The body states that the amendments creates a legal lacuna, ignoring a decade of legal and community work and raises hey concerns, including:

Indian Union government trans bill 2026: what are the main concerns?

1. Removal of the right to self-identification
2. A narrow and arbitrary definition of “transgender”
3. Risk of criminalisation

The body calls for action: “In the name of protection, it in fact deprives many persons of their identities and rights. If it is meant to be protective legislation, it needs to focus on the many substantiated recommendations around employment, education, and protection from violence made by transgender movements and those submitted to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

“We call on lawmakers to withdraw this amendment and uphold the constitutional rights, dignity, and autonomy of transgender persons in India.”