Around 200 people from across Karnataka staged a protest in Bengaluru on Saturday, April 11, against the amendment to the transgender Act, which takes away the right of trans persons to self-identify their gender. The protesters demanded that the amendment be repealed by the Union government and simultaneously urged the Karnataka government not to implement the Act.
The National Network of Gender and Sexual Minorities (NNGSM) and the Confederation for Sex Workers and Sexual Minorities Rights (CSMR) organised the protest at Freedom Park, which also saw participation from folk dancer and Padma Shri awardee Manjamma Jogathi and actors Chetan Ahimsa and Ramya. Representatives from the CPI and Congress spoke at the protest.
Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar was reportedly supposed to join the protesters but did not show up.
The protest saw large-scale participation from across Karnataka.
Debolina, a transgender man and volunteer, said that organisers had mobilised support by arranging for activists and community members to travel from across the state.
“I think strategically we need to have some kind of representation in Parliament,” said Debolina.
A-yu, a transgender woman based in Bengaluru and volunteer, pointed out that they saw “more non-binary representation and intersex representation” at the protest compared to other protests against the Act in Bengaluru.
Kanji, a student and protester, noted that this was one of the largest protests seen against the Act in Bengaluru.
A-yu spoke about her collaborations with organisations such as The Average Queer Space based in Bengaluru. “We are doing outreach programmes because a lot of cis people, especially cis-het (cisgender-heterosexual) people, do not know what this Act is.”
She said many do not realise how the Act could affect them. “It also paves the way for the government to undo fundamental rights.”
Kanji pointed out that the Act falls under the Concurrent List and urged the state government to issue a statement. “We need that confirmation from the state authorities here that they will not go forward with this.”
They expressed disappointment over DK Shivakumar’s absence, as organisers had announced around 5 pm that he would be joining them.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, has been criticised for its narrow definition of transgender identity, removal of self-identification, and mandate to disclose medical information to authorities.
The National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India (NALSA) judgment held that the Supreme Court held that the right to self-identify one’s gender is an essential part of the right to life and personal liberty (Article 21), equality (Article 14), and freedom of expression (Article 19). The 2026 Amendment Act reverses this by mandating medical board certification of gender.
The protesters also criticised Section 18 of the 2026 Act, which introduces penalties for “coercing” or “alluring” individuals into having a transgender identity. They said the vague framing of the section could be misused to penalise community support, including found families and healthcare professionals.
This article was written by a student intern working with TNM.