India

India has made progress on LGBTIQ issues over the last decade; however, there are still barriers to full LGBTIQ equality. In 2018, the Indian Supreme Court struck down laws criminalizing same-sex relations. Tolerance and acceptance of LGBTIQ people and the visibility and prominence of LGBTIQ events have, as a result, improved, particularly in large cities. Despite these steps forward, same-sex attraction is largely seen as socially unacceptable for both men and women. Furthermore, there are great differences across various states in the country, depending on the cultural and religious contexts. In India, there are no legal protections against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, nor is there any legal recognition of same-sex couples. India’s domestic violence law only covers women victims of domestic violence. LGBTIQ people face discrimination, violence, and social rejection, particularly in rural areas. Transgender and intersex Indian people have more legal protections than lesbian, gay, or bisexual Indians but still experience discrimination and stigmatization. Since 2014, India legally recognizes a third gender, and parliament has passed several bills protecting hijra, transgender, gender non-conforming, and intersex people from discrimination. Hijras are members of a community of intersex, transgender, and gender non-conforming people who play a specific cultural role in India. However, trans people have to register with the government.