Transgenders demand equal rights

KENDRAPARA: Faced with socio-economic discrimination for years, the transgender community has demanded the right to work and marry. At an awareness camp on ‘Rights of Transgenders,’ organised by the District Legal Service Authority (DLSA) at Patalipanka on Wednesday, speakers said transgenders are deprived of social and cultural inclusion. “They are shunned by their families and society. They have restricted access to education, health services and public space,” said Radha Swain, a transgender and president of Transgender Association of Paradip. Radha said all political parties should  give tickets to transgenders to contest the ensuing elections.

“The Supreme Court,  in a 2014 judgment on National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) vs Union of India, had directed the Central and the State governments to amend laws to provide transgenders the right to marry. But the law is yet to be  enacted.  It is high time the Government amended laws to allow lesbian, transgender and gay marriages,” Radha said.

Rangabati Kinnar, a transgender, said the Government should reserve a few seats for transgenders for gram panchayat, Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. Sila Khatua, a social worker and para-legal volunteer, said discrimination based on class and gender has made the transgender community one of the most deprived and disempowered groups in the society.

She said the Indian legal system is silent on the issue of sex change surgery. Another social worker, Chitranjan Tarini, said most transgenders, especially youngsters, face great challenges in coming to terms with their gender identity. He said most employers deny jobs to even qualified and skilled transgenders.

“The passage of Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018  in the Lok Sabha to secure the rights of transgenders is a  progressive step towards extending constitutional protection to this highly marginalised community,” said Rajkumar Das, secretary of District Legal Service Authority. Around 100 transgenders attended the awareness camp.