Transgender | Business Upturn

Karnataka high court reviews transgender law amendment

Maaz Ismail Roshanali — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:49:01 +0000

The Karnataka High Court’s move to seek the Centre’s response on the Transgender Persons Amendment Act, 2026, is a significant legal development that places the new law under immediate constitutional scrutiny. This challenge addresses whether the State can legally narrow gender identity through legislation in a way that conflicts with established principles of self-identification, dignity, and equality.

Constitutional fault lines

The primary legal attack rests on the argument that the 2026 amendment departs from the Supreme Court’s recognition of gender self-determination in the landmark NALSA judgment. By narrowing the recognition of trans and non-binary persons and making legal status dependent on District Magistrate approval and medical certification, the law creates a bureaucratic barrier to identity. This shift raises serious concerns under Articles 14 and 21, as it replaces personal autonomy with state-mandated gatekeeping.

Medicalisation and privacy

The amendment reintroduces a clinical model of identity by requiring medical examination even when an individual’s self-perceived identity is clear. This is a major reversal of the 2019 framework, which sought to reduce stigma and avoid forced medicalisation. Critics argue that this model subjects transgender persons to unnecessary surveillance and violates bodily autonomy. Furthermore, the requirement for medical institutions to share sensitive data with authorities heightens the risk of state monitoring.

What the court may test

The Karnataka High Court is expected to examine whether these amendments are arbitrary and inconsistent with the constitutional promise of equal dignity. The case will determine if legal identity in India remains anchored in self-declaration or is pushed back into a medically controlled framework. Ultimately, this challenge is a direct contest over the constitutional meaning of personhood and citizenship for transgender Indians.

Transgender Inclusion may become a historic chapter in the Indian Armed Forces

Vanshika Lodhi — Tue, 14 Nov 2023 13:24:09 +0000

Indian Armed Forces are considering the induction of transgender individuals into their ranks. This initiative is a response to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

A special committee has been established to evaluate the potential roles and job opportunities for transgender individuals within the Armed Forces. The committee is also tasked with understanding the implications of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, to ensure an equitable and inclusive approach.

The Act, which aims to protect the rights of transgender individuals, prohibits any form of discrimination, including in the workplace. It also calls for the development of welfare schemes and programs to support the livelihood of transgender persons, including vocational training and self-employment.

This initiative by the Indian Armed Forces marks a significant stride towards inclusivity and diversity. It reflects the broader societal transformation towards acknowledging and respecting the rights of transgender persons.

However, the specifics of this inclusion, such as the roles and responsibilities of transgender individuals in the Armed Forces, are yet to be defined. The ongoing discussions and studies will be instrumental in shaping the future of transgender individuals in the Indian Armed Forces. This progressive step by the Indian Armed Forces symbolizes the evolving attitudes and growing acceptance of transgender individuals in society. It represents a significant milestone in the pursuit of equality and the recognition of transgender rights in India.

Laxmmi Bomb Trailer : Transgender rights activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi has THIS message for Akshay Kumar

Sonal Singh — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 13:54:35 +0000

Akshay Kumar, who is known for his multi-potentiality, disciplined lifestyle and for experimenting with his characters has now come up with a movie which is a complete laugh riot. The trailer of Laxmmi Bomb was dropped this afternoon. Have a look below:

Sabke dilon par raaj karne aa rahi hai ek nayi Queen. Dekhiye #LaxmmiBombTrailer aur miliye ek aisi family se jo kabhi na dekhi hogi na suni hogi.#FoxStarStudios #DisneyPlusHotstarMultiplex #YehDiwaliLaxmmiBombWali! 💥 pic.twitter.com/TxZsu5g6sE

— Star Studios (@starstudios_) October 9, 2020

The trailer of the movie begins with Akshay declaring, ” Jis din sach mein mere saamne bhoot aya na, toh maa kasam choodiyan pehen loonga.” The trailer received 2.4 million views in just 5 hours. So far, the numbers are a bit low but I am sure it will soon catch up. Fans had all sorts of reaction to the trailer. However, this fan expressed her reaction a bit differently.

What a Diwali dhamaaka @akshaykumar and @advani_kiara!! #laxmmibombtrailer dekh ke maza aa gaya! Shayad naam mein hi kuch khaas hai 😁 pic.twitter.com/0qG4OjcTGj

— Laxmi Narayan Tripathi (@ImLaxmiNarayan) October 9, 2020

Yes, that’s her. Transgender rights activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi recently took to her instagram to share a heartfelt message with the twitteratis’ and to express heartfelt gratitude to Akshay Kumar and his team for making such a film. She said in the video, “Aaj trailer dekhke mai dhanyawaad karti hoon, Akshay ji ka aur unke purey team ka ( After watching the trailer I want to thank Akshay ji and his team).”

She captioned the post as, ” What a Diwali dhamaaka @akshaykumar and @advani_kiara!! #laxmmibombtrailer dekh ke maza aa gaya! Shayad naam mein hi kuch khaas hai.”

Akshay Kumar retweeted her post and wrote, ” This means a lot. Itna pyaar barsane ke liye thank you,( thank you for showering so much love), from one Laxmmi to another. Naam sach mein bahot khaas hai 🙂 ( the name is indeed very special).

This means a lot ♥️ Itna pyaar barsane ke liye thank you, from one Laxmmi to another 🙏🏻 Naam sach mein bahot khaas hai 🙂 https://t.co/JWlcFryTcQ

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) October 9, 2020

Laxmmi Bomb which is a remake of the south Indian film Muni 2: Kanchana will be released on 9th November 2020, only on Disney Hotstar.

After Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson hits back at J.K. Rowling over transphobic tweets

Tanvi Gupta — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 04:32:10 +0000

The world wide famous author, J.K Rowling, who penned the world of possibilities through magical wand, recently made headlines with her objectionable transphobic tweets. The rant on transgender, their rights and her suggestion that women only menstruate went on in a series of tweets which were highly criticized by fans and followers, along with Hollywood celebrities.

The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women – ie, to male violence – ‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences – is a nonsense.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) June 6, 2020

In this row, on 11th June,’20, Emma Watson, who rose to fame by portraying the character of Hermione Granger in the wizard series Harry Potter, tweeted in support of transgender and lashed out at Ms Rowling.
She tweeted, “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.”
Watson made a further statement in a tweet thread,“I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.”

Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they aren’t who they say they are.

— Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) June 10, 2020

I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.

— Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) June 10, 2020

Not only being vocal about the situation, she also vowed to donate to the organisations Mermaids and Mama Cash dedicated to helping and supporting the transgender community.

I donate to @Mermaids_Gender and @mamacash. If you can, perhaps you’ll feel inclined to do the same. ❤️

— Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) June 10, 2020

Happy #PRIDE2020 Sending love x

— Emma Watson (@EmmaWatson) June 10, 2020

Earlier this week, Daniel Radcliffe aka Harry Potter also stood in support of the community by tweeting, “Transgender women are women,” and panned the Harry Potter author J.K Rowling.
Along with this Daniel also apologized to all the Harry Potter fans for ruining their experience through this controversial row.

Daniel Radcliffe supports transgenders after J.K Rowling’s controversial transphobic Tweet goes viral

Tanvi Gupta — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 08:05:24 +0000

J.K Rowling, who is responsible for giving us a world of wizards and fantasy land full of magicians, recently landed in controversy over the weekend when she was declared as Transphobic by Twitterati.
Rowling drew criticism when she tweeted about a news story covering healthcare inequality titled, “Creating a More Equal Post-COVID-19 World for People Who Menstruate.”

J.K’s controversial tweet said, “People who menstruate. I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?”
She went on to explain and clarify her stance but it didn’t satisfy her followers. She wrote, “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth.”

Recently, Daniel Radcliffe who rose to fame by playing the school-boy wizard of the famous franchise by J.K Rowling took upon himself to stand behind transgender community and expressed his disagreement with the author. Addressing the controversy in an open letter for The Trevor Project, he stated simply, “transgender women are women.”

In the same letter he expressed that he never wants to be in a tiff with the author and his disagreement would be taken as a fight between the two. He said, “I realize that certain press outlets will probably want to paint this as in-fighting between J.K. Rowling and myself, but that is really not what this is about, nor is it what’s important right now. While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken, as someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being, I feel compelled to say something at this moment.”

Harry Potter himself apologized for ruining the experience for the fans and urged them to not let J. K’s comment affect their love for the series. Addressing directly to the fans, he said, “To all the people who now feel that their experience of the books has been tarnished or diminished, I am deeply sorry for the pain these comments have caused you.”