Trans and queer groups take out march in Thrissur against proposed law amendment

A march was taken out in Thrissur on Saturday against the proposed amendment to the transgender law introduced in the Lok Sabha, with trans and queer rights groups alleging that the changes would undermine self-identification rights and target community support structures.

The protest was organised by a joint action committee of transgender and queer human rights organisations. The Centre on March 13, 2026 introduced a Bill to amend the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, which takes away transgender people’s “right to self-perceived gender identity” and alters the definition of a “transgender person”.

Protesters argued that the amendment, introduced in the Lok Sabha, would roll back the right of transgender persons to self-determination of identity and bring in provisions that could adversely affect community organisations and human rights platforms that support transgender persons.

Though the amendment is being presented as a measure to strengthen the existing Transgender Persons Act, 2019, the protesters said it would in reality deny rights and protections to a majority of transgender persons. The march began in front of the AG office near the North Bus Stand and passed through Swaraj Round and the Corporation office area before concluding in front of the BSNL office. The protesters later burnt a copy of the Bill as a symbolic protest.