For others, they might be classified in “Others’’ category. But, for the transgender they are pretty much their own self yet they feel denied their due political plank operating from out of which they could positively contribute to societal development.
Avoidable ego on the part of others and social scorn towards the members of the transgender community stand in the way of political recognition, a cross-section of them opine during the run up to the Lok Sabha elections.
Agreed. There has been a sea change in the view of society towards transgender. But more ground needs to be covered before the desired level of voluntary acceptance comes about, says Kajol, president of the Social Action For Emancipation (SAFE), an organisation that works for the uplift of the transgender community. “No political party has really thought of our major needs, going beyond the sops of ration cards, voter identity cards, or even categorisation as the third gender “other’’ than male and female,” Kajol points out to The Hindu .
Kajol says that transgender community is eager to work and earn honourably but is not getting the right breaks.
“Prioritise us in education and job opportunities for which we need an amendment to the Constitution positively impacting our community. Political parties must speak of extending legal cover to us from unsavoury social attacks but that is not to be,” she says. “We yearn for social recognition for which political parties must think of generating job opportunities for us transgender members. More than that, sponsoring our community members as party candidate would be a symbolic gesture that would go a long way in our uplift,” remarks Rajammal (73), Nayak of the Karur Aravanigal Jamaat, during a discussion at Manavasi village.
Ms. Rajammal says “If political parties provide us an opportunity we certainly would serve the community at large going beyond parochial tendencies.”
Kajol voicing the aspirations of many like her seeks either political recognition or at least a Constitution-guaranteed nomination to the elected people’s bodies such as Parliament or the State Assemblies on the lines of those granted to the Anglo-Indians so that their voice, or their cries, could be heard by the administrators.
