Table of Contents
Why in news?
- The Lok Sabha passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 recently after certain amendments.
How has the legislation evolved?
- “Other,” a Gender Option
- Setting up of Expert Committee
- Supreme Court Giving Recognition
- Framing Legislation
- The Bill had many progressive clauses
- Introduction of Bill
Highlights of the original bill?
- Employment
- Self-perceived gender identity
- Certificate of identity as proof
- grievance redressal mechanism
- To establish a National Council for Transgenders.
- Welfare schemes and programmes
- Crime to push transgender persons into begging
- The rights of transgender persons to live with their families without exclusion
Re-definition of Trans-persons
- The amendments passed include a change in the previous definition of transgender persons as “neither wholly female nor wholly male”, which was criticised as being insensitive.
- The new definition terms a transgender person as one “whose gender does not match the gender assigned to that person at birth and includes trans-men or trans-women, persons with intersex variations, gender-queers, and persons having socio-cultural identities such as kinnar, hijras, aravani and jogta”.
Concerns with the recent amendments?
- Identification
- Employment
- Reservation
- Rehabilitation
INDIA IS ON THE RIGHT TRACK
- The legal developments relating to the rights of transgender persons have led to the emergence of many stories that showcase greater inclusion and acceptance of transgender persons in the society.
- The recent legal developments will give transgender persons the space to build the life they desire for themselves.
- The community will no longer need to hide their identity to be a part of society, and they will be able to pursue their education, get jobs and participate as equal citizens.
- This is an important step for building an inclusive, accessible and diverse India.
CONCLUSION
- Iconic step
- Life of dignity and equality
- Basic human right
- However, it is a very small step .
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