Awareness fails to make society gender sensitive

Hyderabad: Mairah S. (name changed), a BBA student, said, “I was born a male and I am going to be a woman soon. People think the transition is easy but it is not.”

“A lot of times we have to face awkward situations in schools and colleges. Using the boys’ toilet, for instance, has been most uncomfortable for me. I was afraid to come out in the open throughout my schooling because I knew I would be bullied,” Mairah said. “I often faced jeers because of my feminine behaviour even from teachers. The situation is not very different now but I wish that students know how to deal with their peers who are going through a confusing stage,” Mairah said.

Schools are yet to have gender sensitisation programmes that could help children come to terms with their identity and also sensitise other students and faculty members who would then be more informed and also understand the fears the child is going through. 

Tashi Choedup, a transgender activist said, “People believe that any behaviour that doesn’t conform to the stereotypical norms can be straightened out by relentless teasing and that is what happens to students at a young age. Other students require counselling and guidance along with the teachers and managements. Despite all the awareness that is raised about transgenders, we are yet to see a sensitive society. This can only be done if the right environment is created from a young age.”However, transgenders and activists claim that they have been turned away from schools when they requested for gender sensitisation programmes.

Mr S. Shankara Chary, principal of Indus Global School, said, “Having sensitisation programmes would definitely make a difference and the board also recommends the same on a regular basis. However, it is not taken on a serious note. We can only hope that the students get sensitised with their exposure to media, internet and other sources. But for issues such as bullying and difficulty in usage of facilities like washrooms, these need to come out in the open. And for this, we need an introduction of the issue in schools.”

Transgender activists claim that by gender sensitisation programmes, students facing confusion about their identity can be reassured. That it is a normal process. Such programmes would also make their peers more accepting.

Ms Anali Razdan, a resource person from the Gender Sensitisation Board of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Telangana State, said, “We often conduct workshops for teachers as they are supposed to teach young minds. But to be honest, there is no mention of transgenders in our workshops other than in passing. We mainly talk about stereotypical notions of girls and boys and how that shouldn’t lead to discrimination and so on.”

 Despite getting legal rights, we are yet to open our minds to transgenders and their rights.”