Mental Health Risks in India's Transgender Act 2026

A psychiatrist warns that the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act 2026 undermines mental healthcare by replacing self-identification with medical board verification and criminalizing support. The law, which includes penalties up to life imprisonment for 'alluring' someone to present as transgender, fosters fear among patients and clinicians, discouraging care-seeking and deepening suffering despite years of efforts to build safe spaces.