India, March 31 -- Transgender identities have long been part of India's social and cultural landscape. Parliament's recent passage of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill 2026, has once again reignited issues surrounding gender identity, self-identification and dignity. Among the most significant changes concerns the definition of a "transgender person." The 2019 Act adopted a broad and inclusive definition, explicitly recognising a spectrum of transgender persons. This amendment, however, replaces this with a narrower formulation; recognising certain socio-cultural identities such as hijra, kinner, aravani, and jogta, but excluding several other identities.

In ancient times, members of the transgender community...