By terminating the services of a police constable because she is a transgender, the Tamil Nadu police have acted with insensitivity and caused immense damage to her dignity and self-worth (“Qualification matters, not gender,” May 29). Reinstating her and compensating her adequately are the needed correctives if the government is to set an example to the private sector in treatment of the third sex.
Rameeza A. Rasheed,
Chennai
Discrimination against the transgender community points to the narrow mentality of the state and society, and their refusal to accept reality. Transgenders have contributed a lot to society over the ages. Nasiru’d-din Mahmud, ruler of Delhi from 1246 to 1266, appointed Immaduddin Raihan, a transgender, as his wakil-i-dar (deputy to the king in judicial matters). Allahu’d-din Khilji’s military general Malik Kafur was also a transgender and he conquered for his master almost all kingdoms of south India.
