In a move that fits perfectly with the spirit of Pride Month, the Kerala High Court has made a quiet but powerful decision. It allowed a transgender couple to be listed simply as “parents” on their child’s birth certificate — no “mother,” no “father,” just who they truly are. This is a great achievement for transgender parental rights in India.

Big win for trans parents

Zahhad, a trans man, and Ziya, a trans woman, recently became parents and made headlines as India’s first openly transgender couple to have a biological child. But bureaucracy quickly overshadowed the joy of that historic moment. The system ignored their gender identities and followed outdated conventions: it listed Ziya as the father and Zahhad, who gave birth, as the mother even though both identify as transgender.

So the couple approached the Kerala High Court and demanded that officials list both of them as parents — not as mother and father on their child’s birth certificate. And the court responded. In a landmark ruling, Justice Ziyad Rahman A.A. ordered the municipal authorities to issue a revised birth certificate. The change was simple but powerful: both names listed under the gender-neutral and inclusive term “parent.”

Pride is more than a parade

This shift might look small, but it carries immense weight. It sets a crucial precedent for trans parents across India. This decision ensures that officials no longer misrepresent their identities on legal documents. It lets their children grow up without navigating systems that misgender their families. And it sends a clear message: trans people don’t need to squeeze into old templates to earn recognition, respect, or legal protection. Legal recognition might not seem glamorous, but it shapes everyday life from school admissions to healthcare access to government IDs.

As Pride Month reminds us, progress isn’t only about celebration, it’s about change. This ruling defends the right to self-identify, to love, and to parent with dignity. Kerala has shown that true inclusion means updating the system to match the realities of all families. And in doing so, it has moved us closer to a more just and compassionate future.

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