LGBTQIA+ community protests against Trans amendment Act at Chennai Pride

In the 18^th edition of Chennai’s annual Self-Respect Pride March, some parents whose children are part of the LGBTQIA+ community came together to flag off the Pride march at Rajarathinam Stadium on Sunday. It was hosted by many organisations and volunteers that come together under the Tamil Nadu Rainbow Coalition.

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There were more placards, this time, about the community’s disappointment with the Union Government’s Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act 2026 and many even wore customised clothes signifying the same, apart from raising slogans on inclusivity and rights.

“We have asked parents who have accepted their children that are part of the community to inaugurate the march because it acknowledges them as well as encourages other parents to do the same,” said Jaya, general manager at Sahodaran. Apart from the Amendment Act, she said the State government should look into pending demands such as horizontal reservation, employment opportunities in Tamil Nadu, altering the Tamil name of the transgender welfare board to Thirunar Nala Variyam, gender-neutral washrooms, surrogacy rights, and so on. “There should also be more sensitisation programmes in schools that needs to be carried out by the State government,” Ms. Jaya added.

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Prathiba and Varadarajan who were holding a placard reading ‘Proud Parent Ally’ said that many parents have a binary idea of the world and expect their children to fit into those ideas. “This is where the issue of acceptance comes from, but acceptance is all the community is looking for,” they said.

With many different identities in the community, the members who walked along held specific pride flags. A couple of 18-year-olds, Cherishma and Tejaswini who attended the Pride March for the first time said they had been waiting for this day with so much excitement. “We raised slogans against homophobia and for inclusivity. We thought many older people will only show up but a lot of people our age has come which makes us happy,” said Ms. Cherishma.

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Apart from thousands of people who gathered at the march from Chennai, a few also joined from other parts of the world. At the entrance of the stadium, there were colourful headgears, umbrellas, flags that anyone could pick up for the march, along with about 20 outlets with volunteers who gave away refreshments.

Rachel, a transwoman, said that the Pride March is primarily about their rights. She added that it is only going backwards, referring to the Amendment Act. A young trans man who did not want to be named said that the Amendment Act erases trans men completely, and many in the community have been deeply distressed by it this year.

The Pride March ended with a ‘Naangal’ programme, where singers, dancers, poets from the community, and allies showcased performances from folk dance to spoken word poetry. Activists also spoke at the gathering.