With sexual minorities stuck in a cycle of marginalisation, not one person out of the around 1,800 transgenders in the district has come forward for the government’s Mythri scheme of monthly pension, said Deputy Commissioner A.B. Ibrahim here on Sunday.
Addressing the gathering at a legal awareness programme for sexual minorities, organised by the Dakshina Kannada Legal Services Authority, Mr. Ibrahim said documentation remained an issue for transgenders to get benefits such as subsidised ration, Rs. 500 as monthly pension, housing, health, reservations among others.
No identity cards“Transgenders do not have identity cards because they do not have permanent addresses. They do not get houses on rent easily as society still refuses to lease houses to them. And because of this they do not have Aadhaar cards or ration cards to collect rice under Anna Bhagya scheme. They don’t even get vocational training as banks do not lend to them,” the DC said.
Even to collect monthly pension, Nandana, from the Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum, said they were being “harassed” by revenue officials.
She suggested holding of quarterly or half-yearly meetings between the district administration and the transgender community to ensure better access to schemes for the sexual minorities. Among the most commonly cited complaints was of harassment by police personnel. Ms. Nandana recounted that after seeing a transgender by the road in the city, a police constable took it upon to inform family and neighbours. “Transgenders are routinely arrested and harassed under the Section 377.
Akkai Padmashali, activist from the NGO Sangama, said societal discrimination – especially from family and friends – that lead to mental, emotional and sexual harassment coupled with the lack of educational and employment opportunities forced transgenders to begging and prostitution to eke out a living.
From their reverence in Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharatha to being tagged as “criminals” by the British under the Criminal Tribes Act 1871, Uma M.G., Principal District and Sessions Judge, traced the transformation of the transgender community in Indian psyche.
Changing scenario“But things are changing now step-by-step after the April 15 Supreme Court Judgment that will see transgenders getting all the facilities accorded to an Indian citizen and the recognition of the third gender,” she said.
Ms. Uma said it was the judiciary that has leapt over the executive and legislative in protecting the rights of the transgenders.
Cheque distributionThe programme also saw the distribution of cheques to Self-Help Groups (amounts between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 1.5 lakh) and individual transgender beneficiaries for setting up beauty parlours, tea shops, (around Rs. 25,000 each), among others.
