They are denied the right even to use a public restroom
Using a public restroom is a person’s basic right. India is a country with equal rights for all people, not just men and women. Despite the fact that everyone has the right to equality, a few people have been denied it. For instance, transgender people face difficulties in using public facilities.
Two lines of men and women had formed in front of the restroom at a bus stop. In addition to the women, a transgender person joined their line. There was an uproar, and the women glanced at each other, murmuring. That individual was the topic of conversation. The women abruptly began to leave, one by one. After a few minutes, only the transgender person remained in the line. But the ticket collector said, “This line is for women, not for someone like you.” The person then walked over to a nearby ditch for the biological emergency. There were obscene remarks and screams coming from every direction. This was even described as shameful conduct by some.
Yet, when we think about it, the women who stepped away were shameful, as was the ticket collector who threw the money and refused use of the restroom.
Being a transgender person is not simple, and the struggles they face in life are unlike any other. When people discover their sexuality is not male or female, they experience depression, and even develop suicidal thoughts.
If they’ve made it this far, they’ll have to face the next challenge: getting their parents to accept them. When their parents refuse to accept them, many of them become like orphans. They scavenge for food in the slums. They aren’t given any work. As a result, they take up any job that comes their way. They have a difficult life, and yet we make it even more difficult for them by our actions.
We pass judgment on their circumstances and regard them as second-class citizens. Even the educated, who should be setting an example, are unaware of the transgender community’s plight.
Despite the fact that there are seats available in colleges and workplaces, transgender people do not occupy them because they are discriminated against. Only if people’s hearts have a sliver of humanity can this be changed. Being human does not imply that you must be born as a man or woman; rather, it implies that you have a proclivity to accept all living things. Labelling of public restrooms for men, women, and transgender people is a better strategy.
The Hindu, 1/05/22
