CHENNAI: Transpersons, who attended the consultation for the Tamil Nadu LGBTQIA+ draft policy, urged the social welfare department to recommend to the government to form a separate policy for transpersons and intersex people. They said that the government can’t cover discrimination based on gender and sexuality in the same policy.
According to activists, the announcement for the consultation was given out only on January 12 giving them only a short notice to participate in it. They added that they have given several representations to the social welfare department as well as elected representatives stressing the need for separate policies for transpersons and intersex people.
“Transpersons face severe discrimination in society, including from their families. Many of them are forced to beg and engage in sex work. The government can’t combine gender based discrimination and sexuality based discrimination and bring out one policy,” said trans activist Grace Banu.
Members from the LGBTQIA+ community also said that they are yet to get a copy of the draft policy and alleged that the social welfare department officials were conducting the consultation as a mere ritual without responding to their demands.