Tackling prejudice

Tackling prejudice

What has happened?

Nearly a month after ShanaviPonnusamy, a transwoman from Tamil Nadu, wrote to the President alleging that Air India had denied her a cabin crew job despite her clearing the written exam, the Ministry of Social Justice sent a Bill on transgender rights to the Cabinet, with amendments as suggested by a Standing Committee

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016

• The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016, is a result of the 2014 Supreme Court judgment recognising transgenders as the third gender and safeguarding their rights under Article 21 of the Constitution
• Apart from welfare schemes for the community, the Bill also lists obligations of establishments as well as recognisable offences against the community
• Harassment of a transgender employee is an offence that carries with it a punishment of not less than six months imprisonment

What needs to be done?

• Enabling environment: An enabling environment needs to be created, be it in education institutes or workplaces
• Sensitizing workforce: In protecting the rights and dignity of the community
• Implementation of the laws: While laws to safeguard these rights are the first step, more important is to ensure their implementation
• Formation of National Council for Transgender Persons: The Bill recommends the formation of a National Council for Transgender Persons that is tasked with monitoring and evaluating policies formulated for transgender persons
• Representation in Rajya Sabha: This may pave the way for fulfilling the community’s long-standing demand for representation in the Rajya Sabha.
• Need of Vocational programs in creative fields: Leading voices from the community have called for vocational programmes in creative fields, a recommendation made by the Standing Committee too.

Integration into the workforce is a challenge

• They Drop out:While they are recruited by State agencies, police departments, and home guards, many have dropped out, especially those undergoing gender transition
• Making more money in traditional ways:Eunuchs say they make more money through traditional practices like mangti , so why would they tie themselves down to a desk job?