Transgender: Status, Challenges & Opportuniti...

Transgender: Status, Challenges & Opportunities in India

Author Name : Dr. Priyanka Dutta

ABSTRACT

Transgender people have a gender expression that differs from their sex assigned at birth. There are certain socio-cultural groups of transgender people who are identified as Hijras, jogappas, Sakhi, Aradhis etc. and there are people who do not belong to any of the groups but are referred to as transgender person. By transgender rights, we mean the right to exist without fear of harassment, violence and discrimination simply because of being a transgender. The problems faced by the Transgender community in India include: Discrimination. The legal status of transgender people varies greatly around the world. Transgender individuals are often marginalized and encounter stigma and discrimination due to their sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions. Most transgender people in India work in the informal spheres of sex work and street begging, but a lucky few find low-salary jobs at NGOs or service places. The Government of India, over the course of years, has made consistent and significant efforts in designing and working towards a trans-inclusive society. The paper deals with the Transgender rights and status in India as well as the challenges them fee and the opportunities and welfare schemes provided to them.

Key Words: Transgender, Discrimination, Trans-Inclusive, Welfare, Socio-Economic Status.