Abstract

Purpose The recognition of transgender rights in India has evolved substantially with the establishment of legal recognition of transgender identities and policies that aim to ensure protection for gender minorities. However, there are still many issues regarding the effectiveness of existing laws in combating social exclusion, health inequalities, discrimination, and lack of representation faced by the transgender community. The recent Transgender Persons Amendment Bill 2026 has fueled the debate on inclusivity, access to health care, legal recognition, and anti-discrimination legislation in India. Given these circumstances, the current research examines the views of transgender persons concerning the amendment bill in the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) through the pre–post focus group discussion method. Design/Methodology The research design for this study was exploratory qualitative research based on an interpretivist philosophy. The respondents were purposefully selected using snowball sampling to ensure the inclusion of different experiences of transgender people in Delhi NCR. The data were obtained using focus group discussions and reflective assessment activities analyzing changes in awareness, perception, and interpretation of the bill. Findings The results showed consistent instances of social marginalization, institutional distrust, unequal access to healthcare services, and inadequate engagement in policy-making processes. Implications The researchers stressed that mere legal acknowledgment is not enough unless there is increased institutional responsibility, accessible healthcare, and transgender involvement in governance and policymaking.

Keywords: Transgender Rights; Gender Identity; Policy Perception; Lived Experiences; Focus Group Discussion; Delhi NCR; Legislative Reform