28/04/2026
For years, and despite the many socioeconomic barriers trans people face across the country, India was considered a leader in legal gender recognition in the Asian region thanks to its legislation allowing people who do not identify with their gender assigned at birth to change their identity documents without having to undergo medical transition - a process commonly known as self-identification or self-ID.
But last month, India’s parliament passed a controversial bill changing how trans people are legally recognised and revoking their right to self-identify, amid protests by opposition lawmakers and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
According to authorities, the law - which has now been signed by India’s president Droupadi Murmu - will broaden access to welfare benefits and build upon current legislation targeting exploitation and human trafficking. Officials have argued that the existing definition lacks clarity, making it harder to identify the most vulnerable individuals. By narrowing the definition, they contend, welfare provisions such as reserved employment opportunities and healthcare assistance can be more effectively directed to those who - in their view - need them.
However, opponents of the changes have raised concerns that trans, non-binary, and gender-fluid individuals could be left without adequate protections or recognition under the new rules.
India is estimated to have around two million trans people, although activists say the real number is much higher and legal recognition remains uneven. Even with legal safeguards in place, transgender individuals in India still frequently encounter discrimination and struggle to access education, healthcare and formal job opportunities, with many turning to traditional or informal livelihoods as a result.
At the International Journalism Festival in the Italian city of Perugia, we met Ankur Paliwal, the founder and managing editor of Q***rbeat (***rbeatmedia) a specialised news outlet covering LGBTQ+ rights in India, and asked them to break down what the changes mean for trans, non-binary and genderq***r individuals in the country.
🎙️ Reporter: Anna Jay
