The transgenders have presented a petition to Chief Minister N. Rangasamy with a list of demands ahead of the Budget session, Sheethal Naik, transgender activist and president of the Sahodaran Community Oriented Health Development Society, told a press conference here on Tuesday.
“It has been one year since the Supreme Court recognised the transgenders as a third gender, and recommended measures in the educational sector and for employment. However, very little has been done in this regard in Puducherry,” Ms. Naik told The Hindu .
Among the list of demands are allotment of land for the construction of houses and hostels for the community, setting up of short-stay homes, quota in education and for government jobs, setting up of a transgender welfare board headed by a member of the community, simplification of the name change process and measures to tackle harassment.
Ms. Naik said that awareness programmes must be started in schools. “India is a democratic country. We are equal,” she said.
“Measures recommended by the apex court are yet to be implemented”
