Pride Month: Pune LGBTQIA+ Activists Call For Inclusive Policies, Oppose Transgender Act

Amid the ongoing Pride Month, Pune's LGBTQIA+ community is voicing strong concerns over the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, arguing that it could undermine the right to self-identification and expose transgender individuals to invasive scrutiny.

Vaidehi Warhade, a transgender person who works as a security guard with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), speaking to The Free Press Journal, said the issue extends beyond financial assistance. “We don’t want discrimination from our own families. Emotional support is equally important,” she said.

Warhade added that the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026, is creating confusion around identity recognition and that many in the community fear self-declaration of gender may no longer be sufficient. She also argued that compelling transgender persons to undergo medical examination infringes upon fundamental rights.

Teju Punekar, a transgender social worker and fashion designer, said transgender and queer individuals continue to face prejudice despite constitutional protections.

“Society still looks at transgender and homosexual persons with suspicion and negativity. Though some rights exist on paper, our dignity is often taken away because we are a minority. The law appears to be drafted without adequate understanding of our lived realities and threatens individual freedom guaranteed by the Constitution.”

Manasvi Goilkar, another transgender activist, described the community as one of the most marginalised groups in society.

“We have to struggle even for basic necessities. Pride Month is celebrated today, but it began as a protest for equal treatment. What is the point of accepting us for one month and rejecting us the rest of the year?”

Goilkar said many LGBTQIA+ individuals lose family support because of social stigma and face discrimination in employment and housing. She argued that the law removes the right to self-identify as male, female or transgender and places that decision in the hands of medical boards and district authorities.

“My gender identity should be determined by me, not by a medical board or a district magistrate. The Constitution guarantees me the right to live with dignity. This law is inhumane and risks pushing us back toward a system that treats transgender people as suspects rather than citizens.”

She called for the bill to be withdrawn and urged policymakers to focus instead on education, employment, housing, healthcare and reservation for transgender persons.

Shyam Konnur, Founder and CEO of Mist LGBTQ Foundation, said Pride Month remains both a celebration and a movement for equal rights.

“While Pride Month is a time of immense joy and colour, it remains, at its core, a protest and a demand for equal rights. Through Mist LGBTQ Foundation’s initiatives this year -- from our community canvas painting and film festival to the Pune Pride Walk -- we hope to bridge the gap between social acceptance and legal reality. Pune is evolving, but true pride will only be achieved when our community feels safe, respected and equal every single day of the year.”

The remarks come amid a broader national debate over transgender rights and the extent to which legal recognition should rely on self-identification versus administrative or medical verification. Community leaders in Pune say the discussion must centre on dignity, autonomy and equal citizenship.