Politicians, social activists call for social security laws for transgenders

Chennai: Leaders and social activists have demanded laws to ensure social security for transgenders, besides opportunities for education, and employment to them.

A Bill for transgender welfare and protection was pending with the standing committee of the Lok Sabha. But, social activists and leaders are sceptical over the Bill as it proposes stringent physical and psychological tests to ascertain the gender before recognising them as transgenders. Besides, it does not provide for legal remedies when they are booked by police for various offences.

The death of transgender Thara, who committed self-immolation in the city was a result of police harassment, said DMK spokesperson T.K.S.Elangovan, who condemned the incident. He recalled that the previous DMK government had set up a welfare board for transgenders, besides a department to look over their welfare.

MP ‘Tiruchy’ N.Siva, who introduced an individual Bill for the social security of transgenders said the proposal he had moved is pending before the Lok Sabha. But, a new Bill had been drafted and sent to the standing committee of the Lok Sabha. Expressing dissatisfaction with the new Bill, he said the transgenders are strongly opposing it since it makes a physical and psychological test mandatory to acknowledge a transgender’s claim. “Such tests will pave way for more harassment and insults to the community and affect their dignity. When a transgender declares himself to be so, what is the necessity for such tests?”
He said a social security act for transgenders should ensure fast track courts to try the allegations against them. The self immolation of Thara is another incident which strengthens the view that such fast track courts and other legal measures are necessary.

Agreeing with the DMK MP’s views, Grace Banu, the first engineering graduate among transgenders and a social activist, said “Social security laws at the national level will be a major solution to the woes of transgenders”.

Today’s incident is another proof of police excesses on transgenders, she said and alleged that Thara’s death is a murder committed by the police. The police are continuously assaulting transgenders and a social secuity law at the national level should have fast track courts to try the charges against them.

Banu said a National Transgender Commission similar to National Women’s Commission should be set up to protect them from sexual, verbal and physical abuse and transgender children under 18 years of age should be included under the National Children Security Act. Banu added that awareness should be created for students at the school level about transgenders.

Cops’ insensitivity to marginalised criticised

The self-immolation Wednesday of a transgender has fuelled the debate on the insensitivity of cops in dealing with the marginalised community. Activists say that the action of the cops is in synch with the State, which had done very little in mainstreaming this community.

A meagre monthly pension of Rs 1,000 is accorded for transgenders who have crossed the age limit of 40 years. In Chennai, activists say, the estimated number of the transgender community is pegged around 5,000 which does not translate to a sizeable vote bank for any political party. Only a few hundreds were able to get free houses allotted to them while most of them could not occupy them due to opposition from those residents of the slum clearance board tenements who had already moved in.

"We had been working with various NGOs in helping the transgender people get employed, and get trained in various trades. We, earlier in March, had organised a job fair in which various companies hired about 20 of them. In fact, we have an officer in charge ADC, C. Shyamala Devi, who is designated as a special officer dealing with transgender issues," said a senior police officer taking exception to the claims made by activists.

Activist Jaya wondered as to how many of those hired in the job fair continue to work with the concerned firms. “The monthly salary offered is between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000 is seldom enough to make ends meet. We are not being taken very seriously. We had lodged a complaint about the psychotic behaviour of an anti-social element. Till date, no action had been taken against him. This encourages the perpetrators," she said.

An activist, requesting anonymity, said there are only two trades possible for the transgender community in the City: one is to beg; the next is flesh trade. "There can be exceptions. But as long as we remained marginalised, nothing can be done to reverse the social stigma," she said.