Restoring Dignity for Transmen

The Supreme Court upheld the right to self-identification of transgender persons in the National Legal Services Authority v Union of India, 2014. It recognised transgender persons as the third gender for the purpose of safeguarding their fundamental rights. In doing so, it directed the union and state governments to ensure equal protection of law by bringing in policies and schemes for their social and economic benefit, pursuant to which the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and rules thereunder were passed. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, through its web portal for transgender persons, facilitates the issuance of certificates and identity cards, announces social benefit schemes, provides scholarships for school and college education, skill development training, and facilitates the establishment of garima greh or shelter homes for transgender persons.

Considering the Supreme Court’s directions, a few states have formulated transgender policies for the purpose of the inclusion of transgender persons into the mainstream by state as well as non-state actors. “Transgender” is an umbrella term for persons whose gender identity does not conform to their biological sex. Such transgender policies include categories such as jogappas, jogatis, hijras, kothis, aravanis, intersex persons, etc, as recognised by the Supreme Court. It covers the entire transgender community, including “trans­men.” They are persons born as females but have come to recognise and identify themselves as male. Unlike their counterparts, transmen are not quite visible in the public. Many of them, however, experience violence and discrimination.