16 May 2009

Indian city to build toilets for transgender people: report


MUMBAI — Pre and post-operative transsexuals in the southern Indian city of Chennai are to get their own public toilets in an effort to boost recognition of the community, a report said Monday.

Three toilets are to be built to cater for the sizeable transgender population as part of a pilot project that will begin after the upcoming general elections, the English-language Indian Express newspaper said.

Municipal commissioner Rajesh Lakhoni was quoted as saying that the scheme was aimed at "extending recognition to the community and mainstreaming them" and more facilities could be built if the public responded well to the idea.

But it has drawn a mixed response from the transgender community itself.

"I don't agree with this. We want to mingle with the mainstream. We don't want to be separated like this," said Aasha Bharati, president of the Aravanigal Association in Tamil Nadu state.

"Using separate toilets will open the way for discrimination. We want to be considered as females. In our hearts, we are women."

India's first transgender television host, Rose Venkatesan, was more positive. She said: "It is a big problem, because not everyone has undergone a sex change.

"This is a good idea but in the long run, I see a society where there is no difference and all use the same toilets."

There are about 30,000 transgendered people in Tamil Nadu state and there are thought to be about 500,000 across India. They are among the most marginalised and discriminated against in India's hierarchical, conservative society.

Source (AFP)

6 comments:

  1. Yes,my dear transgender indian friend,could be a problem of discrimination this toilette idea,but if you consider that here in italy nobody talk around trans questions,it is better to talk that does not!your is a great country my dear malika,a democraty in progress..and we occidental land are deeply in the past!have good life..and kisses,your sincerely transgender friend from roma,jackie;)

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  2. i m writing an article on transgender ..so i'll be using the material from ur blog . nice work ..:) n i feel really good that tamil nadu is recognizing the third sex ..its something to be proud of ! its horrible that ppl condemn this group just coz it cant reproduce ..! India shd be ashamed of such an attitude ..! the third sex is denied basic human rights ..! bt we shdnt lose hope..coz things r changing :) ..nice effort . i'll give ur reference in my blog.. god bless u :)

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  3. Hi Malika!

    This is Kushalrani Gulab from Hindustan Times. I'm working on a story on crossdressing. Would like to talk to you about it - you have a most interesting blog. Could you mail me at kushalgulab@hindustantimes.com please? Thanks a lot!

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  5. Hi!!! Its a great blog, but i just wanted to tell u my opinion on toilets for the transgenders. Transgenders are people who are born as one sex but relate themselves to the other. If it is a MTF, she wants to be addressed as a female and not as a transgender right? But when we are talking about providing a toilet for their community, it doesn't really solve their purpose. They still feel and think like a girl. Aren't we again isolating them and discriminating them? Why cant we all just accept them the way they want to be accepted? Is it so hard??? may be it is, but the problem is we don't even give ourselves a chance to know whether we would b able to accept them or not.

    I would like to know your opinion on what i have said. My mail id is shru.tomboy@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon.

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  6. hi..like to know more abt trans..pls mail me @ freemanchennai@yahoo.co.in..to initiate

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