The policy seeks to protect the rights of transgender people in education, employment, healthcare, housing and safety.
- The state will also take steps to amend Hindu Succession Act and Indian Succession Act to ensure the right of inheritance for transgender people.
- The policy allows transgender and intersex people to choose their gender — male, female, or transgender — without needing medical procedures or certificates.
Who is a Transgender?
- Definition: A transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not align with the gender assigned at birth. [Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019].
- Population: ~ 4.8 Lakh (Census, 2011).
- NALSA Judgment (2014): Supreme Court recognized transgender individuals as the "third gender" and affirmed their fundamental rights under the Indian Constitution.
Issues Faced by Transgender Persons
- Legal and identity issues: 2019 Act mandates certification of gender identity by a District Magistrate, infringing on the right to self-identify.
- Social Discrimination and marginalization: Lack of social acceptance, cultural perceptions view gender non-conformity as deviant, leading to widespread ostracism, physical and sexual violence, etc.
- Education barriers: Lack of inclusive curriculum, dropouts due to bullying, etc.
- Healthcare: Lack of gender-affirmative healthcare, high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies due to societal non-acceptance, etc.
- Economic Exclusion: Due to hiring biases and workplace hostility.
Schemes for Welfare of Transgenders
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