Rajasthan’s 1st Transgender Lawyer | 20 Sep 2025

Why in News?

Raveena Singh has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first transgender lawyer to register as a woman with the Bar Council of Rajasthan.

Raveena Singh

Key Points

  • About: Raveena Singh, born Ravindra Singh in a conservative family in Rajasthan’s Pali district, defied societal norms and familial expectations to embrace her true gender identity. 
  • Her achievement not only marked a personal victory but also set a precedent for the inclusion of transgender individuals in professional spaces.
  • Legal Initiatives: Raveena also filed a writ petition at the Rajasthan High Court to further the cause of transgender rights, pushing for comprehensive recognition and representation of transgender people in educational and employment systems.

Transgender Persons

  • About: According to Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, a transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not align with the gender assigned at birth.  
  • Population:  In India, the total population of transgender is around 4.88 Lakh as per the Census 2011.
    • The top 3 states with the largest transgender population are Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. 
    • It includes trans-person with intersex variations, gender-queer, and people having such socio-cultural identities as kinnar, hijra, aaravani, and jogta. 
  • Part of LGBTQIA+: Transgender individuals are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, represented by the "T" in the acronym. 
    • LGBTQIA+ is an acronym that represents lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual. 
    • The "+" represents the many other identities that are still being explored and understood.  
    • The acronym is constantly evolving and may include other terms like non-binary and pansexual. 
  • Key Milestones in Transgender Rights Reforms:
    • Election Commission's Directive (2009): The registration forms were updated to include an "others" option, enabling transgender individuals to avoid male or female identification. 
    • Supreme Court Ruling (2014): In the  National Legal Services Authority vs. Union of India case, 2014, the Supreme Court recognized transgender people as the "Third Gender," framing it as a human rights issue. 
    • Legislative Efforts (2019): The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, was enacted to safeguard the rights of transgender individuals.