Published Jun 25, 2026 | 7:10 AM ⚊ Updated Jun 25, 2026 | 7:10 AM
Transgenders need acceptance and equality. The states have a big role to play. (Courtesy: istock)
Synopsis: In Census 2011, Karnataka had the ninth highest number of trans people among states. Recent surveys in the state have found that the actual numbers are substantially higher. This makes the state well placed to lead the movement for their inclusion.
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026 has brought the debate on transgender gender identity, legal recognition, and rights to the forefront of the national agenda.
Alongside the legal battles over the amendment, there is an equally important question that deserves to be addressed: what can states do to ensure dignity, opportunity and equality for trans people?
The solution for Karnataka is not in waiting for court rulings, but in exercising its state-level authority in the fields of healthcare, education, welfare, housing and public administration. Whatever the national debate turns out to be, it is states that provide ground-level access to public services.
There are good reasons why Karnataka is well placed to lead. The state officially had the ninth highest number of transgender people in the 2011 Census at 20,266. More recent state-level surveys and community organisations have consistently indicated that the true figure is much larger, partly due to underreporting and partly to social stigma.
Now is the time for Karnataka to not just react to the 2026 amendment, but show others how the government can innovate and be committed to inclusive practice.
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The Supreme Court’s landmark 2014 National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India (NALSA) case remains central to this discussion.
In its ruling, the Court recognised trans people as a third gender group and established that gender identity is a fundamental aspect of personal dignity, autonomy and constitutional freedom. Importantly, the Court affirmed their right to self-identify and urged governments to do more for their social inclusion.
The judgment is still one of the most important constitutional declarations of equality and gender justice in contemporary India. The principles expressed in NALSA remain a constitutional guide to policymakers.
Karnataka must not stop at the minimum obligations laid out there but go further.
For many trans people, one of the biggest challenges to equality is healthcare.
Money and the availability of trained medical professionals often determine access to hormone therapy, mental healthcare, gender affirmation services, or even routine medical care. Karnataka must look towards ensuring a dedicated healthcare unit for transgender people in government hospitals and medical colleges.
These centres should offer counselling, mental health assistance, referral and standardised treatment plans, in consultation with health professionals and community groups. Public healthcare systems have always been key to inequality reduction. This mission should include transgender healthcare from now on.
Often, welfare schemes are available only on paper. Trans people often do not receive benefits that they are entitled to due to documentation, administrative issues, and a lack of seamless delivery.
A special Karnataka Transgender Welfare Mission can bring together housing, scholarships, healthcare benefits, legal assistance, social security, livelihood support, and other services under a single administrative roof. There could be a further reduction of bureaucratic bottlenecks through the district-level facilitation centres and a digital access platform.
It will serve everyone well if they remember that the success of a welfare policy is measured not by the announcement but by delivery.
The exclusion of trans children from schools is a significant barrier to their social mobility.
Transgender students are particularly at risk of being bullied and discriminated against. They could end up being rejected by their families and lose the chance to be financially independent if they give up schooling due to bullying, discrimination, rejection or economic hardship.
The state must increase scholarships, residential facilities, mentorship and anti-discrimination mechanisms in educational institutions. Universities and colleges should be urged to have policies that embrace all students and to have mechanisms for the redressal of grievances. The success of each transgender student in school is a win not only for the educational system but also aids in ensuring economic and social inclusion.
One of the top concerns highlighted by transgender rights groups in the state is the lack of employment.
Discrimination in recruitment or job placement, in the workplace, and in the community has been pointed out by groups like Sangama and Ondede as a recurring reality that leads transgender people to low-paid informal sector jobs.
Karnataka can make a difference with diversity-based recruitment drives in public services, incentives to promote inclusive recruitment in the private sector, and by promoting and expanding skill-development initiatives across diverse sectors like information technology, health support and digital services, and also entrepreneurship.
Bengaluru, being the technology hub of India, has a unique opportunity to develop avenues for gainful and sustainable livelihoods for the community.
Rights mean nothing unless there is an effective response to violations.
Special anti-discrimination cells should be formed at the district and state levels to deal with healthcare, education, housing and employment-related complaints. Public institutions should have clear procedures for reporting and dealing with discrimination.
One of the most powerful mechanisms to bring constitutional promises to fruition is institutional accountability.
A policy will not work if it’s not based on consultation with those who are most impacted by it.
A regular advisory committee, comprising members of the transgender community, professionals from the health and legal fields, academics and government representatives, must be formed in Karnataka. This body will help identify gaps in implementation, track outcomes, and ensure that policy decisions are based on lived experience.
The state’s varied gender traditions, such as those of the Jogappa community worshipping Yellamma, indicate that differences in gender have been a feature of Karnataka’s society for generations. History must inform contemporary policymaking, and must continue to promote current values of equality and dignity.
Experiences across the world show that legal measures aren’t enough to ensure inclusion.
Spain, Canada and New Zealand are examples of countries that have taken different paths to improve the rights of transgender people. All of them have one important thing in common: an understanding that advancing trans rights requires systems that are accessible, provide educational support and economic opportunities, and continue to engage directly with transgender communities. This has been done in Spain by extending access to gender-affirming care in the public health sector and in some Canadian provinces by implementing policies for workplace inclusion and employment diversity.
New Zealand has also championed community involvement in the development of policies, with the perspectives of transgender people being heard on issues that impact their lives.
Karnataka is in a unique situation in terms of its social and constitutional context. But these examples highlight that durable inclusion is not just a matter of law; it is a question of effective institutions and responsive governance.
The battle over the 2026 amendment will go on in legislatures and courtrooms. But trans people cannot await the conclusion of those debates.
Rights in theory are not enough to measure their inclusion; access to health services without humiliation, access to education without discrimination, access to employment without prejudice, access to public life with dignity are what really do so.
Karnataka cannot override the central law. But it can shape its on-the-ground inclusion.
The state has the chance to prove that local governments don’t need to wait for a consensus to act, as transgender rights again become a matter of national political debate. The state can create a model of inclusion rooted in constitutional values and good governance by investing in health, education, welfare, employment and accountability in institutions.
(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
