Transgender

Crossing the trans bar: Thanuja Singam's journey through struggles and hope

Treading a path outside the gender binary is no easy task. In candidly raising the alienation and abuse that these people face, dental hygienist Thanuja Singam's memoir is an inspiring read

Donald Trump's team denies any plan to ban transgender military personnel

Trump's incoming press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed the allegations, describing them as speculative and unfounded

Transgender community rallies in Jammu, demands assembly seat reservation

Ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir polls, members of the transgender community held a rally here on Saturday, demanding reservation for them in the legislative assembly. The rally, which started from Vikram Chowk and culminated at Hari Singh Park in the heart of the city, saw participants carrying placards and raising slogans in support of their demand. "We have 90 seats in the assembly but not one is reserved for us. We want at least one seat each to be reserved in the two divisions of Jammu and Kashmir for us so that our issues can be resolved," Raveena Mahant, who was leading the rally, told reporters. She said the rally was organised to voice the transgender community's demand for reservation and representation in the electoral process which has long been denied by the political parties in the region. "Without such reservation, the community remains under-represented and is unable to influence decisions which directly impact the lives of transgender persons," she added. Mahant sai

No restrictions for queer community to open joint bank accounts: FinMin

The ministry also said that a clarification in this regard has also been issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to all the scheduled commercial banks on August 21, 2024

Transgender identity certificate will be treated as valid document: Centre

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that a 'certificate of identity' issued by the district magistrate under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 will be treated as valid documentation for applying for a PAN card. A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said the Union of India has in principle accepted this request and the Union government may consider incorporating it in the rules as well in order to bring clarity. "During the pendency of this petition, we sought a reply from Union of India, who has been very supportive in this matter and by and large has accepted all the demands which have been raised in the present petition including the one, that the certificate to be issued under Section 6/7 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 will be acceptable, if it is given by the district magistrate," the bench noted. Sections 6 and 7 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 deal with the issue of ...

Gender minorities to comprise 25% of Tata Steel workforce: Official

Tata Steel aims at having a minimum of 25 per cent of its workforce made up of diverse groups, including gender minorities, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ individuals, within the next few years, a company official said. It is one of the first companies in the country to roll out a special recruitment drive for transgender talent, having recruited over 100 members from the community for various roles across different locations, the official claimed. "Continuing this drive, we aim to have 25 per cent of our workforce from diverse groups in the next couple of years," the official said. A total of 113 transgender individuals have been onboarded and posted at various locations, including manufacturing, operations and maintenance, mining, and services. These employees are stationed in Noamundi, West Bokaro, Kolkata, Kharagpur, Kalinganagar, and Jamshedpur. Some of these employees work all three shifts and operate Heavy Earth Moving Machinery (HEMM) at th

ESIC adds 1.6 mn workers, including 0.3 mn women, in April: Payroll data

Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) added 16.47 lakh new members in April as per payroll data released on Wednesday. "Through the data, it is noticeable that more jobs have been generated for the youth of the nation as out of the total 16.47 lakh employees added during the month, 7.84 lakh employees amounting to around 47.60 per cent of the total registrations belong to the age group of up to 25 years," a labour ministry statement said. According to the statement the provisional payroll data of ESIC reveals that 16.47 lakh new employees have been added in April 2024. Also, it stated that the gender-wise analysis of the payroll data indicates that net enrolment of female members was 3.38 lakh in April. Besides, 53 transgender employees also got registered under the ESI Scheme in the April, attesting to ESIC's commitment to deliver its benefits to every section of society. Around 18,490 new establishments have been brought under the social security ambit of the ESI Scheme

Ensure 1% quota for transgenders in public employment: HC to WB govt

The Calcutta High Court has directed the West Bengal government to ensure one per cent reservation for transgender persons in all public employment in the state. Noting that the state government adopted a policy of equal treatment in employment to transgenders, the court said the reservation has, however, not yet been made for them. Justice Rajasekhar Mantha directed the chief secretary of the West Bengal government to ensure one per cent reservation for transgenders in all public employment. The high court order was passed on a petition by a transgender person, who succeeded in the Teachers' Eligibility Test (TET) 2014 and also in the TET 2022, but was not called for counseling or interview. In the order passed on Friday, Justice Mantha noted that the Supreme Court had declared in a 2014 case that hijras' and eunuchs, apart from binary genders, be treated as "third gender" for the purpose of safeguarding their rights under Part III of the Constitution. The apex court had also uph

No queer representation in 2024 Lok Sabha, 108 MPs vocal on LGBTQIA+ issues

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, all three transgender candidates lost their security deposits for not securing one-sixth of the total valid votes

Transgender community, sanitation workers to attend Modi's oath ceremony

About 50 people from the transgender community have been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi and the new cabinet of ministers to them give blessings. Before the ceremony, BJP MP and former Social Justice and Empowerment minister Virendra Kumar felicitated the community members at his residence. "This is a part of Prime Minister Modi's call of 'sabka saath sabka vishwas and sabha prayas'. Including people from transgenders in the ceremony is to enhance the inclusivity message of the PM," Kumar told media. This is the first time that people from the transgender community are formally invited for the swearing-in ceremony, he said. These participants have made contribution in the empowerment of the transgender community, Kumar added. Sonam Kinnar from the UP BJP unit said she along with 50 members of the community have come here to give blessings to the new government. "We are saddened that PM Modi did not receive the number of seats a

Trump camp slams Prez for declaring Mar 31 as Transgender Day of Visibility

President Joe Biden is facing criticism from Donald Trump's campaign and religious conservatives for proclaiming March 31 which corresponds with Easter Sunday this year as Transgender Day of Visibility. The Democratic president issued the proclamation on Friday, calling on all Americans to join us in lifting up the lives and voices of transgender people throughout our Nation and to work toward eliminating violence and discrimination based on gender identity. But in 2024, the March 31 designation overlaps with Easter, one of Christianity's holiest celebrations. Trump's campaign accused Biden, a Roman Catholic, of being insensitive to religion, and fellow Republicans piled on. "We call on Joe Biden's failing campaign and White House to issue an apology to the millions of Catholics and Christians across America who believe tomorrow is for one celebration only the resurrection of Jesus Christ," said Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign's press secretary. She assailed what she called

Putin's crackdown casts a wide net, ensnaring LGBTQ+ community, lawyers

It's not just opposition politicians who are targeted in the crackdown by Russian President Vladimir Putin's government in recent years. Also falling victim are independent voices as well as those who don't conform to what the state sees as the country's traditional values. Russia's once-thriving free press after the collapse of the Soviet Union has been largely reduced to either state-controlled media or independent journalists operating from abroad, with few critical outlets still working in the country. Prominent rights groups have been outlawed or classified as agents of foreigners. Lawyers who represented dissidents have been prosecuted. LGBTQ+ activists have been labelled "extremists. A look at those who have come under attack during Putin's 24-year rule that is likely to be extended by six more years in this month's presidential election: INDEPENDENT MEDIA Independent news sites largely have been blocked in Russia since the first weeks of the war in Ukraine. Many have moved

To break glass ceiling', Tata Steel invites applications from transgenders

Tata Steel has taken a "significant step towards promoting inclusivity" by inviting applications from transgender candidates for various positions across multiple locations, the company said. As a leading global steel company, Tata Steel recognises the importance of breaking the glass ceiling and mainstreaming transgender people in society, it said. "Transgender candidates with any of the following qualifications can apply: Matriculation in English or ITI or graduation in any discipline or diploma in engineering in any discipline from any institute recognised by AICTE or UGC or Degree in BE/B Tech in any discipline from any institute, recognised by AICTE or UGC," Tata Steel said in a notification. The last date for filing applications is February 15. All shortlisted candidates will undergo a selection process, which may include a written test and interview as per the requirement, it said. In February 2022, the steel giant had expanded its transgender employee base by onboarding 12

A tell-all across gender divide

Khurai's assertion of her identity was not only a defiance of sorts but also a courageous stand for living her life as she wanted in a volatile environment, riddled with militancy and the armed forces

'Lost my medal to a transgender': Swapna Barman after losing in Heptathlon

Swapna Barman finished fourth in the women's heptathlon event with 5708 points, losing out on bronze by only four points

RML Hospital to open speciality OPD for transgenders on PM Modi's birthday

Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here will inaugurate a speciality OPD for the transgender community on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday on Sunday. Besides, a blood donation camp will also be organised on that day. The hospital's Medical Superintendent Dr Ajay Shukla will inaugurate this special OPD and blood donation camp. He said this speciality OPD service will be available to transgenders every Friday from 2 pm to 4 pm and there will be a separate registration counter for the same. An endocrinology facility with hormone analysis and free hormonal treatment, a psychiatry facility with clinical-psychological assessment, and plastic surgery will also be available at the OPD, Dr Shukla said. Also, dermatology, urology and paediatrics services and all related blood investigations will be made available at the OPD, he said, adding that it will have gender-neutral/transgender washroom facilities. When asked what prompted the launch of the Speciality OPD for transgend

Special drive in Delhi to add transgenders, sex workers in voters' list

The office of Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer has initiated the process to set up special camps to enrol transgenders, sex workers and vulnerable women in the voters' list, officials said on Saturday. With Lok Sabha polls scheduled next year, the CEO office recently recommended to district electoral officers to organise these special camps for including sex workers, destitute and homeless women in the voters list, they said. Currently, the transgender voters are referred to as "Third Gender" in the electoral roll, which is not in consonance with the Transgender Persons (Protection Right) Act, 2019. So, in tune with the Act, they may be referred to as "Transgender", the communication stated. To promote inclusiveness in the electoral process, the district election officers have also been recommended to start a process for mapping transgender in the city to identify and enrol those left out in the electoral rolls, said a senior officer. It has also been recommended that transgender n

Canada's McGahey to become first transgender to play international cricket

Danielle McGahey of Canada will become the first transgender cricketer to play in an international match when she represents her adopted country during the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup qualifier in Bangladesh. The 29-year-old McGahey, an opening batter, has been selected in Canada's women's squad for the next month's qualifying tournament after she fulfilled ICC's eligibility criteria for male-to-female transgender players. The qualifying tournament will be played in Los Angeles from September 4 to 11. Canada will take on Argentina, Brazil and the United States in the ICC Americas Qualifier for a place in the Global Qualifiers. "I am absolutely honoured. To be able to represent my community is something I never dreamed I would be able to do," McGahey was quoted as saying by BBC Sport. McGahey moved to Canada from Australia in February 2020 and began her social transition from a man to a woman in November 2020. She started medical transition in May 2021. McGahey's participation in .

Nagpur police bans transgenders from visiting public places to seek alms

The police authorities in Nagpur city of Maharashtra have reissued an order prohibiting transgenders from visiting public places, houses, wedding ceremonies and other events to seek alms from people, an official said on Wednesday. This order was earlier issued in January this year. It was issued under Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), he said. The order issued by the city Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar said it was issued in view of the incidents of beggars harassing motorists and other passersby, obstructing the smooth flow of traffic and pedestrians, and causing a nuisance. A violation of the order is punishable with a jail term of one month to six months, depending on the impact of the disobedience of the public order. The order will be in force from August 16 to October 14 this year. Violation of the order would attract registration of offence under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 143 (unlawfu

Vedanta launches policy for transgender employees to promote inclusivity

Globally diversified natural resources company Vedanta on Friday said it has launched an inclusion policy for its transgender employees in an effort to promote inclusivity and diversity at workplace. As part of the comprehensive policy, Vedanta is extending additional medical benefits in terms of a 30-day gender reaffirmation leave and financial support of up to Rs 2 lakh for gender reaffirmation surgery, the company said in a statement. "At Vedanta, we are actively engaged in cultivating a culture that celebrates diversity, ensuring equal opportunities for all individuals. It gives me immense joy to announce the launch of our inclusion policy, which reflects our commitment to supporting transgender employees. "With this policy, we aim to create an environment that not only recognises the needs of transgender employees but also champions their well-being and personal growth," Vedanta Non-Executive Director and Hindustan Zinc Chairperson Priya Agarwal Hebbar said. In addition to the