The national child policy which ensures the safety of children should include transgender among the beneficiaries to prevent harassment of children who suddenly undergo biological changes by the family members, a transgender writer, Priya Babu, has said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Transgender day (April 15) celebration in Madurai on Sunday, she said the major problem for the transgender started with neglect and harassment by family members.
“If the transgender are also included in the national child policy, we can go to the court against the family members for harassment,” she said.
A law to recognise the transgender, one per cent reservation in government employment and nomination of transgender to Parliament were the other demands.
She also wanted the State government to make the Transgender Welfare Board functional.
Addressing the meeting, Deputy Commissioner R. Thirunavukkarasu said that if people realised that only a biological change made a person transgender, their perspective on them will change.
Despite all difficulties, the transgender should concentrate on their talents to come up in life. “While many men are selfish, many other live only for the welfare of their family, the transgenders have the distinction of working for the community,” he said.
Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers’ and Artists’ Association functionary, Sundaravalli, wanted the Government go recognise transgender as alternative gender instead of third gender.
The transgender involved in commercial sex work should be provided identity cards to prevent harassment by anti-social elements.
Another functionary of the association, Ramalingam, lamented that the people who worshipped transgender in Mohini (transgender) avatar of Lord Vishnu paid disrespect to transgender who lived among them.
