LGBTQ rights in Kerala | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Status | Legal since 2018 |
| Gender identity | Third gender recognised; transgender people may change legal gender |
| Discrimination protections | Discrimination protections in line with Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India and National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India |
| Family rights | |
| Recognition of relationships | No recognition of same-sex relationships |
| Adoption | No |
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in Kerala face legal and social difficulties not experienced by non-LGBT persons. However, Kerala has been at the forefront of LGBT issues in India after Tamil Nadu.[1] It became one of the first states in India to establish a welfare policy for the transgender community and in 2016, proposed implementing free gender affirmation surgery through government hospitals.[2][3][4] Same-sex sexual activity has been legal since 2018, following the Supreme Court ruling in Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India. In addition, numerous LGBT-related events have been held across Kerala, including in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram. However, there is also increasing opposition to LGBT rights recently as evidenced by the anti-LGBT campaigns spearheaded by meninist groups and Muslim organisations like Indian Union Muslim League, Samastha and Jamaat-e-Islami.[5][6][7][8][9]
- ^ "Kerala Government Has Unveiled A Policy To Enforce Constitutional Rights Of Transgenders". The Huffington Post. 12 November 2015. Archived from the original on April 13, 2023. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
- ^ Devasia, T. K. (19 March 2016). "Why Kerala's free sex-change surgeries will offer a new lifeline for the transgender community". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on December 28, 2019. Retrieved 2019-07-05.
- ^ "After She-Taxi, Kerala to launch G-Taxi for transgenders". Times of India. Thiruvananthapuram. PTI. 31 January 2016. Retrieved 25 March 2016.
- ^ "How Kerala left the country behind on transgender rights". dna. 2015-11-14. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
- ^ "Kerala Muslim groups intensify campaign against gender politics, homosexuality". The New Indian Express.
- ^ "Samastha to campaign in mosques against LGBTQ, gender neutrality". The New Indian Express.
- ^ "IUML leader K M Shaji says LGBTQ members are worst humans". Manorama online.
- ^ "Muslim LGBTQIA+ persons in Kerala suspect targeted hate campaign by Islamic groups". The News Minute.
- ^ "Secular Muslim forum condemns Kerala Muslim right's demonisation of LGBTQIA+ community". The News Minute.