Chennai Pride March At Rajarathinam Stadium Protests Transgender Amendment Act 2026

On Sunday, thousands of members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies gathered at the Rajarathinam Stadium in Chennai for the 18th annual Self-Respect Pride March. This year's march served as a major demonstration against the Union Government's Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act 2026, with participants demanding key policy reforms from both central and state governments.

Organized by volunteers and groups under the Tamil Nadu Rainbow Coalition, the event was officially flagged off by parents of queer children. Organizers highlighted that involving accepting parents serves to encourage other families to support their LGBTQIA+ children. Parents Prathiba and Varadarajan, who held placards at the venue, emphasized that acceptance is the primary support the community seeks from families who often hold binary views.

The march featured strong opposition to the Transgender Persons Amendment Act 2026. Many attendees wore customized clothing and carried placards expressing deep disappointment with the legislation. Rachel, a transwoman at the march, stated that the new Act represents a step backward for their rights, while a young trans man noted that the amendment completely erases trans men, causing widespread distress within the community.

Beyond protesting the federal amendment, participants pushed for several pending demands directed at the Tamil Nadu state government. Jaya, the general manager of the LGBTQIA+ rights organization Sahodaran, outlined key demands including horizontal reservation in education and employment, the implementation of school sensitisation programmes, gender-neutral washrooms, and surrogacy rights.

The community also called for the Tamil Nadu transgender welfare board to be renamed to "Thirunar Nala Variyam" to ensure more respectful terminology.

The march drew participants of all ages, including first-time attendees Cherishma and Tejaswini, both 18, who expressed happiness at seeing a large turnout of young people chanting slogans for inclusivity and against homophobia. The event concluded with the "Naangal" cultural programme, featuring poetry, folk dances, and speeches by community activists.