Pride flag hoisted in Chennai amid calls for inclusion and action

With an unmissable rainbow flag swaying above the premises of Sahodaran, more than 50 members of the LGBTQIA+ community came together on Monday (June 1, 2026) to hoist it and commence the pride month, chanting slogans of non-discrimination and inclusion.

LGBTQIA+ community raises voice against new amendment Act at Chennai Pride

Chennai Rainbow Pride is entering its 18^th year with the Rainbow Pride self-respect march scheduled for June 28.

Beyond the celebrations, many who took part in the event expressed their disappointment with the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026.

They reiterated calls for horizontal reservation in education and employment in Tamil Nadu, gender-neutral washrooms, and altering the Tamil name of the transgender welfare board to Thirunar Nala Variyam, among the 17 demands.

Sahodaran’s General Manager Jaya said previous State governments had been sensitised to the concerns of the community. “This year is important to us because there is a new government in Tamil Nadu, but we don’t yet know how well they understand our issues. We hope the members of the Tamil Nadu Rainbow Coalition (TNRC) will be called for a meeting with the current government so that we can directly explain our challenges to them,” she said.

Fred Rogers, a man of trans experience, said trans men are a minority within minorities, and that the amendment act erases them completely. “We are just like any other human being, but why should we be discriminated against based on our identity?” he said. When asked what Pride 2026 means to him, Mr. Rogers said: “It is about me being myself and that gives me so much joy. I want the same for my peers as well.”

Finding employment opportunities remains one of the major hurdles. A doctor who completed her MBBS in Russia, Jaahanavi, said that she had received many offer letters from hospitals in Chennai, only to have them revoked once she disclosed that she was a trans woman.

Meanwhile, Archanaa Seker, a Chennai-based activist and member of the TNRC, said Pride month and the march were about equality, visibility, and the right to exist and love.

“There is a divisive world out there waiting to break spaces and movements like these. So, it is important we find hope where it is and commit to reparation whenever things go wrong,” she said, adding: “It is more important now than ever before.”