Indian Court Rules: Trans Women are Women, Entitled to Legal Protection
In a historic decision, the High Court of Andhra Pradesh in India has ruled that trans women are legally entitled to be recognized as women. The court rejected the argument that womanhood is solely defined by the ability to bear children, stating such a definition contradicts the constitution’s emphasis on equality. The ruling came in response to a case where a trans woman sought protection from abusive in-laws using a legal provision for women, which her in-laws contested based on her inability to become pregnant. The court ultimately sided with the trans woman, asserting that denying trans women recognition as women constituted discrimination.
John Q. Hosedrinker