Human Rights Watch has described India’s newly passed 2026 Transgender Bill as a major setback for human rights, warning that it rolls back hard-won protections for trans people. The law narrows the legal definition of who is recognized as transgender and replaces the right to self-identify with a system that requires medical certification and state approval.

Critics say this shift undermines dignity, privacy, and autonomy, while giving authorities greater control over deeply personal aspects of identity and healthcare. It also raises concerns that many trans and non-binary people could be excluded from legal recognition altogether.

Human Rights Watch and other advocates argue that, rather than strengthening protections, the bill risks increasing discrimination and barriers to essential services—at a time when the trans community continues to fight for equality and recognition.

In this episode, we speak with Raghvi Shukla, a prominent Indian lawyer and transgender rights advocate, also known as the first openly trans lawyer to argue in the Supreme Court, to unpack what this bill means.