Out of job, transperson pleads for mercy killing

SHRC seeks report from Collector

A transperson, trained as a nurse, made a demand for mercy killing to the Thrissur District Collector recently.

“I have no way to live. Death is better than the undignified life I lead now. Please allow me to die with dignity. I don’t want to commit suicide. So please allow mercy killing,” Suji (Sujith Kumar), a 51-year-old transperson, wrote to the Collector. “I have no job, friends, or family. After my father’s death even my siblings have isolated me. I am fed up with starving. And future is so bleak,” Suji, who took her B.Sc. in 1989, said in the letter.

Sitting on May 22

In its notice to the District Collector, the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has sought an action-taken report on the letter. Her case will be considered in its sitting in Thiruvananthapuram on May 22.

“The letter shows the challenges faced by transgender persons in the State. They are facing ridicule and discrimination from society for none of their fault. However death is not a solution,” commission member K. Mohankumar observed.

The commission also sought an explanation from the Social Justice Department about the welfare programmes for transgenders.

A native of Thriprayar, Suji worked in Saudi Arabia as nurse for a brief period. However, she lost the job once the gender issue came up in the hospital, forcing her to return home.

Suji has been trying to secure a job for the last eight years, but her identity has been posing hurdles. She had trained students in spoken English at an institute in Thriprayar for some time, but that too did not last long.

Though many came up with support after Suji’s story came to light, she says, “What I need is a job, not charity.” Incidentally Suji was the first person to get enrolled as third gender in the State.