Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin launches Tamil Nadu's 5-year policy for transgender and intersex persons with key provisions on inheritance rights, education, healthcare, housing, and employment

In a landmark step toward ensuring dignity, equality, and inclusion for gender minorities, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday unveiled the Tamil Nadu State Policy for Transgender Persons, 2025. This comprehensive policy aims to safeguard and empower transgender and intersex individuals across key areas such as education, employment, healthcare, housing, identity, and legal protection.

The policy outlines a five-year roadmap, making Tamil Nadu one of the most progressive Indian states in advancing the rights of transgender and intersex persons.

Who is a Transgender Person?

As per the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, a transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not match the gender assigned at birth. This includes people who identify as transgender men or women, genderqueer individuals, and those with intersex variations.

• Population in India: Approximately 4.8 lakh (Census 2011)

• In Tamil Nadu: Around 22,364 transgender persons

• Legal Recognition: The NALSA Judgment (2014) by the Supreme Court recognized transgender individuals as the “third gender” and affirmed their fundamental rights under the Constitution of India.

Key Objectives of the Policy

The Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025 seeks to:

• Ensure non-discriminatory access to education, employment, healthcare, housing, legal identity, and public services.

• Empower transgender and intersex persons to realize their full potential in all walks of life.

• Guide government departments, public authorities, and private stakeholders in delivering inclusive and equitable services.

What Legal Reforms Are Proposed in the Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025?

A major highlight of the policy is the proposal to amend the Hindu Succession Act and Indian Succession Act to ensure inheritance rights for transgender and intersex persons. This move aims to correct long-standing exclusions in family and property rights that transgender people often face.

The policy also affirms the right of every transgender or intersex person to self-identify their gender as male, female, or transgender — without requiring any medical procedures or certification. This is a progressive shift that aligns with international human rights standards and corrects flaws in the 2019 Act, which still requires a certificate from a District Magistrate, infringing on self-identification rights.

What Challenges Does the Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025 Aim to Address?

Despite past reforms, transgender individuals in India continue to face multiple layers of discrimination and systemic barriers:

• Legal and Identity Issues: The 2019 Act mandates gender identity certification by government officials, limiting autonomy.

• Social Discrimination: Gender non-conforming individuals are often viewed as socially deviant, resulting in ostracism, physical and sexual violence, and emotional trauma.

• Educational Barriers: Dropouts are common due to bullying, exclusion, and absence of inclusive curricula.

• Healthcare Gaps: Access to gender-affirmative healthcare is limited, and high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide are reported due to societal rejection.

• Economic Exclusion: Workplace hostility and hiring biases severely restrict employment opportunities.

How Does the Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025 Improve Access to Education?

• District-level committees will identify gender-nonconforming dropouts and help them resume education.

• All educational institutions must adopt inclusive policies, appoint transgender-friendly nodal officers, and offer age relaxation for returning students.

• Scholarships will be provided for those pursuing higher education.

• The Gender Inclusion Fund under the National Education Policy will be extended to girls and transgender students.

What Employment Benefits Are Provided Under the Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025?

• The state will promote self-employment schemes, offering subsidies and grants.

• Public and private sector employers must:

  • Adopt anti-discrimination policies

  • Appoint grievance redressal officers

  • Ensure no hindrance to career growth due to gender identity

• CSR funds will be utilised by the Transgender Welfare Board for training, recruitment, and workplace sensitisation.

• Though long demanded, 1% reservation in jobs and education has not yet been officially announced, drawing mixed reactions from the community.

How Does the Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025 Address Healthcare Needs?

• Medical, nursing, and allied health courses will be revised to sensitise professionals to transgender health needs.

• Hospitals must offer gender-affirming surgeries and follow standardised clinical protocols in transgender clinics.

• The government will also explore access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a preventive treatment for HIV transmission.

• The policy mandates no coercive conversion therapy, which is often used to try to "change" a person’s gender identity or sexual orientation against their will.

What Housing and Shelter Support Is Included in the Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025?

The policy provides for:

• Preference in affordable housing schemes

• Free house-site pattas (land grants)

• Creation of short-stay homes and rental support for transgender and intersex persons

• Strengthening Garima Grehas — government shelter homes for transgender persons

These efforts aim to provide safe, stable living environments, particularly for those disowned by their families.

Legal Aid and Support Services

• A 24x7 toll-free helpline will be launched for transgender individuals.

• Free legal aid and parental counselling will be provided, especially for families with gender-nonconforming children.

• The state will also develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the identification and medical support of infants born with ambiguous genitalia.

National and State-Level Welfare Schemes

Tamil Nadu’s policy will integrate and complement various national welfare schemes such as:

• SMILE (Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise): A comprehensive scheme focused on skill-building, employment, and rehabilitation.

• National Portal for Transgender Persons: A digital platform to obtain online identity certificates and cards.

• PM-DAKSH (Dakshta aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi): A government initiative for skill training of transgender individuals.

Governance and Monitoring

• The Social Welfare Department, which drafted the policy, will soon release a detailed action plan.

• A high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary will meet bi-annually to oversee implementation.

• District-level committees chaired by Collectors will meet quarterly to monitor ground-level progress.

How Has the Community Reacted to the Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025?

Members of the Transgender Resource Centre celebrated the policy release with a cake-cutting ceremony, marking it as a milestone in their decades-long struggle. Priya Babu, the Centre’s founder, called it a “significant day” and extended gratitude to the Chief Minister and government officials.

However, activist Grace Banu noted that while the policy includes several positive steps—especially around private sector inclusion—many of its provisions are already guaranteed under existing laws like the 2019 Act. She emphasized that implementation of the long-demanded 1% reservation is essential for the policy to have real impact.

The Tamil Nadu Transgender Policy 2025 represents a bold and inclusive move toward protecting the rights of transgender and intersex persons in the state. It bridges critical gaps in healthcare, education, housing, and legal protections while affirming the right to self-identification. However, its long-term impact will depend on timely implementation, legal reforms, and the realisation of reservation demands that would ensure true representation and equality.

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