Kerala High Court permits continuation of hormone therapy for two transgender persons

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday stepped in to protect the medical rights of two transgender people, ruling that their vital hormone therapy must not be cut off by a controversial new law. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas ordered that if this treatment has already started, it must be "continued till its conclusion without any interference" from authorities.

The decision follows claims that hospitals have "abruptly" stopped providing care because of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026. Justice Thomas warned that stopping such therapy suddenly could lead to "absurd results" for patients.

Fear in the wards

The legal battle was sparked by the 2026 Act, which changed the legal definition of transgender persons. Senior Advocate Arundhati Katju, representing the patients, argued the law has created a "chilling effect" on doctors. She told the court that hospitals are now afraid to provide non-surgical help, leaving one patient—who has been in therapy since 2019—facing a medical crisis.

The Central Government’s lawyer, P. Sreekumar, disagreed that there was any "medical urgency". He argued the new law only targets "self-declaration" and noted international concerns, such as in the USA, where gender identity has become a complex issue.

Protecting the process

Justice Thomas noted that the government might be trying to prevent "Western concepts" where people identify as animals. "The intention of the legislature might be... to prevent it," the judge said, referring to instances where children might identify as cats.

However, the judge insisted that real medical patients must not be caught in the crossfire. "Let the petitioners' medical treatment continue," he stated.

While the court refused to suspend the entire law at this stage, it granted this specific relief to ensure the petitioners are not denied care. The case is scheduled for a full hearing in June.