Transgender rights in India have evolved drastically in the past few years, allowing them to function equally in society with a special set of rights. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill passed in 2019 defined a transgender person as one who is partly female or male; or a combination of female and male; or neither female nor male. The bill also added that a person’s gender need not match the gender assigned at birth and includes trans-men, trans-women, persons with intersex variations, and gender-queers.
This bill prohibits discrimination against a transgender person, including unfair treatment or denial of service in relation to:
As for health and medical access, the central and state governments have taken steps to provide healthcare facilities to transgender persons including:
The bill allows transgender people to change their legal gender post-sex reassignment surgery, and have a constitutional right to register themselves under a third gender.
Additionally, some states protect hijras, a traditional third gender population in South Asia through housing programs, and offer welfare benefits, pension schemes, free operations in government hospitals as well as other programs designed to assist them.
