Kerala: Gays accused of cornering transgender sops

Thrissur: The first transgender in the state to get voting rights, Suji Kord, has alleged that in violation of the Supreme Court order giving ‘third gender’ status for hijras or transgenders in April 2014, gay, lesbian and bisexuals are also grabbing benefits in the state under the guise of transgenders. “Even though homosexuals and bisexuals come under the broad category of transgenders, the
benefits like OBC status for reservation in educational institutions and government jobs was meant only for intersexuals (who are born with incomplete sexual organs), transsexuals (who underwent surgery for sex change) and those from the hijar community,” she said here on Saturday.  

She also said that there would be nearly 100 persons who could be given such transgender certificate by the Social Justice Department in the state, but some 800 persons have presently got such certificate without undergoing proper medical examination. “My request is that the department should verify in detail all the applicants for getting transgender (third gender) certificate to prevent misuse of the reservation and other benefits,” she added.

The ‘Transgender Policy’ of the UDF government needs to be changed to ‘Third Gender’ policy, she noted. She said that people like her were still facing discrimination in the state and were not allowed to travel along with either women or men in buses and allowed to enter toilets meant for males or females.