Kerala: Harsh clauses rob transgenders of benefits

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The LDF government has demonstrated a never-before sensitivity towards the transgender community, especially through the introduction of a pension scheme. However, the community has realised that it cannot benefit from the first-ever scholarship announced for it by the Social Justice Department. The conditions imposed, it is said, are too complicated for the community to meet.

The government order announcing monthly scholarship for TG students in seventh standard and above was issued last year. There were three slabs: for seventh to 10th standard students (Rs 1,000), for plus 1 and plus 2 students (Rs 1,500), and for degree, diploma, PG, and professional students (Rs 2,000). The scholarship was inclusive but two conditions made it impossible for TG students to apply for the money.

One, students should produce a medical certificate that attested to their TG status. TG activists consider the stipulation a violation of Supreme Court guidelines. “When the SC had very clearly stated that self-declaration is enough, to insist on a medical certificate is contempt of court,” said Chilla Anil, the state coordinator of Bengaluru-based NGO Sangama.

The second one is a peculiar terminology used in the GO. It has used the term ‘lingaparivarthithar’, or those who have undergone sex reassignment surgery, for the beneficiaries. “No one will get a sex-change surgery before he or she is an adult, not before 18. It is against medical ethics too. There is no one below 18 in the state who had done this sex-change operation,” Mr Anil said.

Even if a TG seeks the operation after attaining the age of 18, the candidate will first have to undergo counselling for two years. Only then, with the certificate of the counsellor, could he/she go for the multi-stage operation, which will take another two years for completion. In short, not a single TG in the state is eligible for the scholarship.