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To change your name, make an addition or delete a part of your name, you will have to follow the steps given below and make sure that it is published either in the State or Central Gazette. You can choose to publish it in the Central Gazette if you want to apply for any higherRead more

Gender identity refers to an individual’s self-identification as a man, woman, transgender or other identified category, like intersex. When you face any trouble with officials or people who want you to prove the gender you identify with, you have the option of showing them the documents given below.  Option 1: Affidavit or Undertaking An affidavit/undertakingRead more

Ration Cards are helpful when you want to get essential goods such as rice, grains, etc. at a lower subsidised price from shops set up by the government. Ration Cards have been introduced as part of the Government’s Public Distribution System and is an important identity proof. They are issued to people depending on theirRead more

A Passport is an official document issued by the government that allows you to travel internationally.1 The Ministry of External Affairs issues Passports through the Central Passport Organisation (CPO) and you will be able to apply for a passport by approaching Passport Offices, Passport Seva Kendras (PSK) and Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSK) inRead more

A Learner’s License1 is a temporary license which is valid for 6 months, which legally allows you to practice driving on Indian roads, as long as you are accompanied by an adult who holds a valid Driving License. 2 Please note that you must be 18 years old before you apply for a DL, soRead more

A Driving License (DL) is an official document, issued in the form of a card, by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) or Regional Transport Authority (RTA) of each State, under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways,  which permits you to drive one or more types of vehicles, such as a motorcycle, car, etc. onRead more

A Voter ID Card, also known as the Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) is a photo identity card that is issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to all individuals who are eligible to vote.1 This card is commonly known by other names such as an election card, voter’s card, Voter ID, etc.  NewRead more

PAN (Permanent Account Number) is an identification proof mandatorily required to file taxes which is issued by the Income Tax Department. Details of your PAN Card are also asked by employers for salary transfers, TDS deductions, etc. and by banks while opening bank accounts. Initially, you will have to apply for a PAN Number. WhenRead more

Aadhaar is a 12-digit identification number1, specific to each individual2, issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to the residents of India after satisfying a verification process based on demographic information and biometric information.3 You will be assigned an Aadhaar number on a card with your personal details such as name, date ofRead more

Identification documents play a major role in facilitating your rights such as the right to healthcare, education, etc. and are also important for day-to-day activities such as applying for a SIM Card or a bank account, etc. It is your right to get identification documents recognizing the gender you want to be associated with.  GendersRead more

The LGBTQ+ community includes multiple self-identified groups, and the term “LGBTQ” stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and “+” denotes the wide extent of the community which includes many sexual identities.   Courts have accepted that it is the right of any person to choose their gender if they do not identify with the sexRead more

You may face harassment or discrimination by medical personnel like doctors, nurses, psychologists, psychiatrists, etc. For example, some hospitals may deny you treatement for an STI because of your sexual orientation or gender identity, i.e, you are a gay person, bisexual person, etc. In such cases, you can take appropriate action, so that you mayRead more

Not being a straight person/cisgendered is not grounds for being diagnosed with a mental disorder. This means merely being a LGBT person does not make you mentally ill.1) However, when you experience significant distress due to the difference between the gender you were assigned at birth and gender that you identify with, you may beRead more

You may be at risk of contracting Sexually Transmitted Infections/Diseases (STI/STD) like gonorrhea, syphilis, AIDS, etc., if you are sexually active. Your risk of contraction may be higher if you fall into certain categories. For example, in a report, the National AIDS Control Program1 has identified Men Having Sex With Men (MSM) and transgender personsRead more

When you go for any surgery including GAT or corrective surgery, remember that it cannot be done without your written consent. The age of consent for medical procedures is 18 years1, and  consent given by a person of unsound mind or a child below 12 years is not valid.2 No one including hospitals, medical practitioners,Read more

Typically, those who do not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth may want to go through surgeries to align more strongly with their chosen gender. However, you do not have to go through any surgeries to be given recognition with your self-identified gender. 1. In this regard, given below are two ofRead more

You might have healthcare needs that are specific and unique to your experiences. Some of the common healthcare issues are:  Mental health issues Sexual health issues Physical issues with respect to gender-altering surgeries There may also be a social bias present against you, which may make accessing adequate healthcare difficult. For example, a therapist mayRead more

Anyone above the age of 18, has the right to love and have consensual sexual relationships with anyone that they wish to irrespective of their gender. Previously, consensual sexual acts between adults of the same gender were punishable under the law with jail time and a fine. After 2018, such sexual acts are not punishableRead more

If you are subjected to any violence, where you are injured or hurt, you have a right to complain and file an FIR with the police regardless of your gender or your sexual orientation.You can complain against anyone, irrespective of their gender. You can go to the police station to use these gender-neutral laws: HurtingRead more

LGBTQ+ Persons can complain with the following authorities: Police Go to Police Station You can file an FIR at any police station or the one nearest to you. A friend or relative can also file an FIR on your behalf. If you are a woman or a transwoman, your statement will be recorded by aRead more

It is important to get help and support to protect yourself while complaining about any violence, harassment or discrimination you have faced. Some of the people you can approach are: Legal Support Approach a lawyer to help you with the complaint processes or if you have to go to Court.  If you cannot afford aRead more

There are several government helplines, which help by not only giving information, but supporting you through legal processes and putting you in touch with authorities. The following list provides the contact details of the national helplines across India, for the categories mentioned below:  For Violence and Harassment If you have faced any harassment or violenceRead more

If you are facing harassment and violence, some of the laws you can use while filing a complaint are based on your gender identity. Since there are only three recognized categories under the law which are ‘male’, ‘female’ and ‘third gender’ (transgender persons), the laws that apply to you also depend on which category youRead more

You may face harassment or violence on the basis of: Your gender identity where you are being targeted specifically for identifying differently than the gender assigned to you at birth. For example, anti-beggary laws are used very commonly used by the police to arrest and harass transgender persons. Your sexual orientation where you are beingRead more

When you are arrested, you have the right to apply for bail regardless of your gender identity or your sexual orientation. This right is dependant on the kind of crime you have been arrested for: In cases of Bailable Crimes If the kind of crime you are arrested for is a bailable offence, then youRead more

If you are arrested, you will be in the custody of the police at the police station for 24 hours, till they take you to the nearest Magistrate (Court). They can keep you for 15 more days only if they get the permission of the Magistrate. You may face harassment/violence in many ways such as:Read more

You are not supposed to be mistreated by police officers while being arrested based on your sexual orientation or your gender identity. So it is helpful to know the 5 rights you have under the law: Ask police to identify themselves You can ask the police to identify themselves by showing accurate, visible and clearRead more

When police officers want to arrest you for any crime or suspicion of any crime, they may come to your location and arrest you. While arresting you, the details of the arrest, place of arrest, time of arrest etc will be written down in an Arrest Memo. They may: Arrest you with Warrant Arrest youRead more

If the police officer refuses to file an FIR or harasses you because of your sexual orientation or gender identity, then you can take the steps below:  Write a written complaint to the Superintendent of Police (SP) in writing. The SP may conduct the investigation himself or order his subordinate police officers to carry itRead more

When you go to the police station to file a complaint, the details of the complaint will be written down in an FIR (First Information Report).  The FIR has to be filed by the police official and if you are a woman or transwoman, then for certain crimes, a woman police officer has to fillRead more

If anybody blackmails or threatens to out your identity or sexual orientation and asks for money or anything of value to maintain their silence, they are committing a crime of extortion. Even the threat of injuring you in this process would amount to the crime of extortion. For example, if someone asks you for moneyRead more

If you are being obstructed from leaving a place or you are confined inside a particular area, for example, you are locked inside a room, then you are being detained illegally under the law. This is known as wrongful confinement and anyone confining you may face jail time upto 1 year and/or a fine ofRead more

Online abuse happens on various platforms on the internet – social media, chat forums, etc. When faced with online abuse, your first step should be to see what the policy of the platform where the abuse is happening, and what steps the platform recommends for you to stop it.  You can complain to social mediaRead more

If you are facing any sexual violence or you know someone who has, you should take the following steps: Call helplines for immediate protection.  Complain at the nearest police station.  Sexual Violence If you have faced any form of sexual violence which may include, rape, inappropriate touching, stalking etc, you can file an FIR withRead more

When a man has sexual intercourse with you, without your consent, it is considered to be rape under the law.  Currently, under the law, only women or transwomen can be victims of rape or sexual violence and can only file it against a man. If you are a man/transman who was forced to have sexualRead more