UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE OF LEGAL STUDIES

PANJAB UNIVERSITY
CHANDIGARH

Topic : Problems of Transgenders

A project report to be submitted on the above topic in the subject of Sociology.
for the fulfilment of requirement of the syllabus of B.A. LLB(Hons.) 2nd
Semester

Submitted To : Submitted By :
Dr. Anupam Bahri Name – Abhinav Jaspal,
Section – C, B.A. LLB,
2nd Semester
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has contributed
to the successful completion of my college project on Problems of Transgenders
in Sociology.
First and foremost, I would like to thank my instructor Dr. Anupam Bahri for
providing me with the necessary guidance and support throughout this project.
Their insightful comments and constructive criticism have helped me in
improving the quality of my work.
I would also like to thank my classmates for their valuable inputs, feedback, and
encouragement that helped me gain new perspectives and insights on the topic
of rights.
Furthermore, I would like to thank the UILS Department and Dr. Rajinder Kaur,
Director, UILS, for their assistance in providing me with relevant and up-to-date
resources that were crucial for the completion of this project.
Lastly, I would like to thank my family and friends for their unwavering support,
motivation, and encouragement that helped me in overcoming the challenges
faced during the course of this project.
 INDEX

1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………4
Terminologies……………………………………………………………………………5
2. History & Culture………………………………………………………………………9
Indian Culture………………………………………………………………………….10
3. Problems of Transgenders……………………………………………………….13
4. Discussion……………………………………………………………………………….16
5. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………17
6. References………………………………………………………………………………19
 I. Introduction –
The gender that we are officially assigned at birth (male or female) is based upon our physical
features. However, this might not match our gender identity – that is, the way we feel and
think about our gender.
A transgender person is someone who has and/or expresses their gender identity differently
from the gender identity that they were assigned at birth. A transgender person may choose
to express their gender identity in different ways. To make more permanent physical changes
surgery and hormone treatment may be used. This can take several years, and does not
always involve complete gender reassignment (‘sex change’). Gender identity may also be
expressed through clothing and cosmetics (known as ‘cross-dressing’ or ‘transvestism’).
Even after all the reforms and so-called promising laws being implemented, The Transgender
Community faces myriad of problems on everyday basis. One can only imagine the
humiliation Trans People have to face just because they don’t fit in the gender norms or the
conventional and orthodox perspective of society on Gender.
Although, Homophobia and Transphobia is majorly the cause why Trans-People receive the
hate they get, it might not be the only reason for it. To begin with, People who lack awareness
on this subject may generalise the issue, the indifferent attitude of people towards LGBTQIA+
community and for this topic Trans-Community in particular may encourage the animosity of
people towards them. Another reason why Trans-community has to face these problems can
be lack of active involvement of the Government. Although beneficial for Trans-community,
it seems or maybe perceived that the recent laws implemented for the LGBTQIA+ Community
are only because of societal pressures or just because of maintaining nation’s reputation.
Many Nations have realised and welcomed this concept with open arms, although relatively
new for many, it could not have been accepted unless it had some historical significance.
There have been many researches conducted by professionals that proves existence of cross
dressing in ancient times . Regardless of existence of ‘Trans-culture’ dating back to ancient
times, doesn’t change the fact that Trans-people are always ridiculed and discriminated
against.
The cost that they have to pay just to express themselves is too high and defeats the purpose
of basic Human Rights. People belonging to Trans-community and LGBTQIA+ Community in
general live in constant fear and distress because of all the antipathy. There are very less
people who come out for support of LGBT, it’s because they are either silenced by the society
or they get humiliated due to which many avoid raising their voice and coming out for support
of the LGBTQIA+ Community.
Like mentioned above, one of the reasons why Trans-People receive hate is due to lack of
awareness, for this purpose it’s important that we familiarise ourselves to some
Terminologies and Jargon, so that next time when there is a conversation about this topic,
one may have knowledge of what is being talked about.
Terminologies :
How trans people define themselves is important. This transgender language glossary covers
many rainbow community terms, while focusing on gender and transgender identities. It
covers some context and history about some of the terms
1) Gender or gender identity
One’s actual, internal sense of being male or female, neither of these, both, etc. In some
circles, gender identity is falling out of favour, as one does not simply identify as a gender, but
is that gender.
2) Transgender.
Simply put, transgender means that a person was assigned a sex and gender at birth which
they disagree with. More broadly speaking, transgender is an umbrella term for people whose
gender identity and/or gender expression differs from what is culturally typically associated
with the gender/sex they were assigned at birth.
3) Trans.
Trans is generally used as an abbreviation of either transgender or transsexual
4) Trans*.
Some non-binary and other gender non-conforming people use trans* (with the asterisk,
pronounced tran-star). This is to indicate that they’re definitely not cis, but not necessarily a
trans woman/man either.
5) Cis, cisgender, or cissexual.
Cis is a prefix or adjective that means not trans. Cisgender people identify more or less with
the gender assigned to them at birth. In discussions regarding trans issues, one would
differentiate between women who are trans and women who aren’t by saying trans women
and cis women. Cis is not an insult, but a neutral descriptor – much like heterosexual is to
homosexual.
6) A.F.A.B. and A.M.A.B. (sometimes C.A.F.A.B. and C.A.M.A.B.).
Acronyms meaning assigned female at birth or assigned male at birth. When the ‘C’ is added,
it stands for ‘coercively’. In any case, when it’s necessary to refer to the birth-assigned sex of
a trans person, this is the best way to do it.
7) The gender binary.
Similarly, to the sex binary, the gender binary is an incorrect system of viewing gender as
consisting solely of two categories, termed male and female, in which no other possibilities
for gender or anatomy are believed to exist. Gender is neither fixed nor immutable, and no
physical criterion (e.g., genitals, chromosomes, hormones) defines one’s gender. Gender is
experiential, and therefore only the person themself can define their gender. In a word, the
gender binary system is oppressive, and is a cause of marginalisation for people who do not
fit within the gender binary.
8) Trans woman.
Trans woman refers to a woman who was assigned male at birth. She may or may not be
identified by others as trans, and may or may not identify herself as trans. It is grammatically
and definitionally correct to include a space between trans and woman.
9) Trans man.
Trans man refers to a man who was assigned female at birth. He may or may not be identified
by others as trans, and may or may not identify himself as trans. It is grammatically and
definitionally correct to include a space between trans and man.
10) Binary.
Used as an adjective to describe the binary genders female/woman/girl or male/man/boy.

11) Non-binary.
Preferred umbrella term for all genders other than female/woman/girl or male/man/boy. Use
as an adjective (e.g., Elsa is a binary trans woman and Jesse is non-binary).
12) Transition.
Transitioning from being seen as one’s birth assigned gender to one’s actual gender.
Transition generally initially includes social elements such as changing one’s clothes, hair,
name (socially and maybe legally), changing the gender marker on one’s legal documents,
binding breasts or wearing breast forms, etc. It may also include medical treatments such
laser hair removal, hormone replacement therapy, or various surgeries. There is neither a
wrong way to transition, nor a singular right way.
13) Sexual orientation.
A person’s enduring physical, romantic, emotional and/or spiritual attraction to others.
Gender identity and sexual orientation are not the same. Trans people can be heterosexual,
gay, lesbian, pansexual, queer, etc. just like anyone else. For example, a trans woman who is
primarily attracted to other women may identify as lesbian.
14) Bisexual.
Currently being redefined by bisexual rights activists to mean that one is attracted to both
their own gender, as well as other genders. This better reflects the experience of some
bisexual people (rather than simply attracted to binary men and binary women). In common
use however, most bisexual people identify as being attracted to men and women
15) Pansexual.
Pansexual means being open to attraction to people of any gender, and inherently, explicitly
includes transgender and non-binary genders. Some pansexual experience attractions based
on characteristics other than gender. Some experience gender as a primary part of their
attractions, but they have these attractions to people of all genders. Pansexual does not
necessarily mean without preference.
16) Heteronormative or heteronormativity.
This refers to the deeply held institutional belief that relationships between heterosexual
masculine cis men and heterosexual feminine cis women are normal/natural/right, while all
other relationships are viewed as abnormal/inferior/wrong in contrast. It refers to systems
and society being structured around this assumption.
17) Queer/ Gender Queer
Broadly used to indicate that one rejects heteronormativity and is not heterosexual – though
sometimes queer is also used by heterosexual transgender people.
18) Intersex.
Intersex describes a range of conditions where person has a variation of sex characteristics
from birth (as opposed to through taking hormones or having surgeries). Variations of sex
characteristics means their sex characteristics are ambiguous in the context of the
male/female sex binary.
19) Gender fluid, bi-gender.
These are non-binary gender identities that indicate shifting between different genders or
presentations. Similarly used by those who feel they have both male and female sides to their
personality, including some drag queens, drag kings, and cross-dressers.
20) Neutrois and agender.
One who feels neutral in their gender or who rejects the influence of gender on their person.
Sometimes the term ‘nongendered’ is used similarly. Identifying as neutrois or agender is
neither indicative of one’s anatomy, birth assignment, nor pronoun use. They can be used in
conjunction with another gender signifier, for example neutrois woman.
21) Gender dysphoria.
Gender dysphoria is a clinical term referring to dissonance between one’s assigned gender
and/or body, and their personal sense of self. Originally the DSM diagnosis was
“transsexualism”, which was later changed to “gender identity disorder”, followed by “gender
dysphoria”. In each case the diagnosis was updated as it led to gender variance being
stigmatised and misunderstood as a pathological condition.
22) Transphobia.
Transphobia consists of three main parts – stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. Any of
these elements on its own can be transphobia.
II. History & Culture –
The term “transgender” wasn’t coined until the 1960s—but people have always challenged
the gender binary. Here’s a look at their history
As the first American to undergo gender-confirmation surgery, Christine Jorgensen would
arguably become the world’s most famous transgender woman of her era. Her remarkable
transition from a male-presenting soldier to a polished, feminine public figure would be a
watershed in trans visibility. The word “transgender” didn’t exist at the time—it wouldn’t be
coined for another decade or become widespread until the 1990s—but transgender history
began long before Jorgensen brought it into broader public awareness.
Early accounts of trans history
There’s ample evidence of gender variance throughout human history. Among the earliest
are accounts of gala and galli, priests assigned male at birth who crossed gender boundaries
in their worship of a variety of goddesses in ancient Sumer, Akkadia, Greece, and Rome. Other
cultures acknowledged a third gender, including two-spirit people within Indigenous
communities and Hijra, nonbinary people who inhabit ritual roles in South Asia.
Some who challenged the gender binary occupied official roles. During the short reign of the
Roman emperor best known as Elagabalus, who ruled from C.E. 218 to 222., the male-born
leader adopted feminine dress, requested to be referred to as “she,” and expressed a desire
for genital removal surgery. Shunned and stigmatized, Elagabalus was assassinated at age 18
and thrown into the Tiber River.
Albert Cashier, a figure from the 19th century, was more secretive. He served bravely in over
40 battles as a Union Army soldier in the U.S. Civil War—one of at least 250 people who,
though assigned a female sex at birth, fought in the war as men. His war record was
challenged after he was outed decades later. Though his military comrades defended him and
he kept his military pension, Cashier was eventually confined to a mental institution and
forced to wear women’s clothing.
Transitioning becoming possible
In the early 20th century, medical advances made hormone therapy and gender confirmation
surgery possible. Thanks in part to doctor and reformer Magnus Herschfeld’s Institute for
Sexual Research in Germany, founded in 1919, medical gender confirmation changed both
trans people’s lives and public conceptions of gender. Nonetheless, early surgery attempts
were crude. For example, one of the institute’s first gender confirmation patients, German
transgender woman Lili Elbe, died in 1931 after a failed uterine transplant.
In the 1950s, Jorgensen, a U.S. Army veteran, sought both hormone therapy and a series of
gender affirmation surgeries in Denmark and the U.S. Along the way, she became a sensation,
thanks to articles with headlines like “Ex-GI Becomes Blonde Beauty: Bronx Youth is a Happy
Woman After 2 Years, 6 Operations.” The publicity all but destroyed Jorgensen’s ability to
earn money doing anything but self-promotion.
In the wake of public cases like Jorgensen’s, the term “transgender” entered the lexicon.
Scholars have tracked the term’s origins to the 1960s, when it was used both in medicine and
by trans activists like Jorgensen and Virginia Prince. It came into widespread use during the
1990s alongside the burgeoning trans pride movement. Today, the term “transgender” is
used as what Transgender Archives founder Christan Williams calls “an umbrella term for
describing a range of gender-variant identities and communities.
Historical Significance of Transgender community in context of India :
Transgender community in India comprises of Hijras, eunuchs, Kothis, Aravanis, Jogappas,
Shiv-Shakthis etc. Eunuchs have existed since 9th century BC. Hijra is an Urdu word, as can be
seen from the form itself, the word has its Semitic root in the language of Arabic. The word
means “leaving one’s tribe”. The word also has roots in Greek language which means "Keeper
of the bed”. Ancient Vedic culture recognized three genders. The Vedas (1500 BC - 500 BC)
describe individuals as belonging to one of three separate categories, according to one's
nature or ‘Prakrit’. We can also see this in Kama Sutra (4th century AD) and elsewhere as
pumsprakrtistri (male-nature), prakrti (female-nature), and tritiya-prakrti (third nature).
Various texts suggest that third sex individuals were well known in pre-modern India and
included male bodied or female-bodied people as well as intersexual, and that they can often
be recognized from childhood.
Allusions on transgenders can be found in the ancient Indian legal text Manusmriti and also
in the sexology text Kamasutra. Characterising transgenders as “eunuchs”, Manusmriti
adopted a sheer unsympathetic attitude towards transgenders. Manusmriti considers
transgenders as detestable and strictly stated that they should be excluded or kept out of the
ritual rites done for deceased persons and also from all holy ritualistic ceremonies.
Vatsyayana in his third chapter ‘Auparishtaka’ in Kamasutra, stated about a particular section
different from male and female sections known as ‘tritiya’ nature or third gender. The ‘tritiya’
nature pointed by Vatsyayana denotes the transgenders and they are called as third gender
in the present society. Vatsyayana’s views and statements on ‘tritiya’ nature is apparently
evident in the transgenders. The stated ‘tritiya’ nature, male have female attire and wears
female costumes, and females wear male costumes. A third sex is also discussed in ancient
Hindu law, medicine, linguistics and astrology. The foundational work of Hindu law, the Manu
Smriti (200 BC - 200 AD), gives the explanation of the biological sex. It says that a greater
quantity of male seed causes the production of male child, a female child by the prevalence
of the female and if both, which means the male and female seeds are equal and there is a
chance of the production of a third-sex child or girl and boy twins; if either are weak or
deficient in quantity, a failure of conception results. If one observes the grammar of the
ancient language Sanskrit, we can find the fact that the language has three grammatical
genders which are derived from three natural genders. The earliest Tamil grammar, the
Tolkappiyam (3rd century BC) also refers to hermaphrodites as a third ‘neuter’ gender (in
addition to a feminine category of un- masculine males). In Vedic astrology, they had their
own precise science where they say there are nine planets in the universe and each planet is
assigned to different genders. The third gender called or termed as ‘tritiya-prakrti’, is
associated with the planet of Mercury, then Saturn (in particular) which is culturally termed
as ‘Ketu’. In the Puranas, one can see also the references to three kinds of ‘devas’ of music
and dance: ‘apsaras’ (female), ‘gandharvas’ (male) and ‘kinnars’ (neuter).
Talking about the evolution of transgender community in India, one can say that transgender
persons had been part of Indian society for centuries. Historical evidence can be traced for
the purpose. Recognition of “third sex” or persons who do not confirm to male or female
gender have been seen in the beginning writings of ancient India. The concept of
‘tritiyaprakriti’ or ‘napumsaka’ (character of mixed nature) had been an integral part of the
Hindu mythology, folklore, epic and early Vedic and Puranic literatures. Most of the
population of India must be knowing the term ‘napumsaka’ and it had been used to denote
the absence of procreative ability, presented by signifying difference from masculine and
female roles. Thus, we can say that some of the early texts extensively dealt with issues of
sexuality and the idea of third gender. In one of the earliest Indian ideological belief system
like Jainism and its beloved texts mention the concept of ‘psychological sex’, which
emphasized the psychological make-up of an individual, distinct from their sexual
characteristics. Indian epic Ramayana narrates the story of the wanderings and adventures of
Rama, one of the ‘avathars’ (incarnation of a deity) of Lord Vishnu. According to the story Lord
Rama was asked to leave his kingdom by his step mother because of the promise that his
father had made to her. At this juncture when he was leaving for the forest for 14 years, he
turns to his followers and asks all the ‘men and women’ to return to the city. Many religious
interpretations say that among his followers, the hijras alone did feel bound by this direction
and decide to stay with him. Impressed with their loyalty, Rama sanctioned them the power
to confer blessings on people on auspicious occasions like child births and marriages, and also
at inaugural functions which, it was supposed to set the stage for the custom of ‘bathai’ in
which hijras sing, dance and confer blessings.
Another Indian epic Mahabharata too has a similar story. It is about the character called
Aravan, the son of Arjuna (a Pandava prince) and Nagakanya (a serpent virgin), offer to be
sacrificed to Goddess Kali (Goddess of destruction) to ensure the victory of the Pandavas in
the Kurukshetra war, the only condition that he made was to spend the last night of his life in
marriage. Since no woman was willing to marry one who was doomed to be killed, the epic
goes narrating that Krishna assumed the form of a beautiful woman called Mohini and
married him. Thus, it has been said that the Hijras of Tamil Nadu considered Aravan as their
progenitor and call themselves as Aravanis.
References and presences of transgenders can further be traced in epic poetries like The
Mahabharata and The Ramayana. Most of them are already known to public. The Shikandi (a
character of mixed nature) in Mahabharata attained more publicity than the Shikandi in
Ramayana. Shikandi is the rebirth or reincarnation of Amba, the daughter of king of Kashi.
Shikandi lived with the aim to kill Bhishmar, the one who insulted Shikandi in the first birth.
During Kurukshetra war, Shikandi fought in the side of Pandavas and became one of the
factors that paved way to the success of Pandavas in the war. In order to kill Bhishmar, who
has blessed with fair death, Arjuna tactfully fought war with Bhishmar by placing Shikandi in
front. Bhishmar, who has taken an oath not to fight war with women or an effeminate person,
has been killed by Arjuna and Shikandi at the end. Shikandi who had close ties with the
Pandavas is also seen presented in Arjuna’s son Abhimanyu ‘s wedding, to offer blessings and
benedictions.
Centuries back, Brahmandapurana gives a clear exposition on transgender, the definition and
the process of the formation. An infant is formed or born as a matter of fact of male-female
copulation. During the intercourse, the male semen which enters into the uterus combines
with the blood in the uterus and finally results in the formation of infant. As stated in the
Brahmandapurana, it is the rate of the mixture of the semen blood combinations in the uterus
that is accountable for the infant’s gender. If the rate of blood is higher in the mixture of
semen blood combination, then the gender will be male and if vice versa the gender will be
female. On the contrary, if the rate of blood and semen is equal and balanced in the mixture
then it will give rise to the third gender or eunuch. According to Brahmandapurana, the birth
of eunuch is also an outcome of a natural process. It is often believed that the transsexual
form of Lord Shiva is a coordination of male and female.
The community has a great tradition of their own. But at the same time, discarding this
tradition, the Indian society tries to repress the transgender identity and marginalize people
of gender nonconformity.
III. Problems of Transgenders –
Despite the dramatic progress of the transgender movement in the last decade, resulting in
greater public awareness and significant legal victories, trans people continue to face blatant
discrimination, high levels of violence, and poor health outcomes. Trans people of colour
often face markedly worse health and economic outcomes as they navigate multiple systems
of oppression.

1) Social Isolation/ Exclusion and Marginalisation

Gender-diverse and trans people around the world are subjected to levels of violence and
discrimination that offend the human conscience: they are caught in a spiral of exclusion and
marginalisation: often bullied at school, rejected by their family, pushed out onto the streets,
and denied access to employment; when they are persons of colour, belong to ethnic
minorities or are migrants, living with HIV, or sex workers, they are particularly at risk of
violence, including of killing, beatings, mutilation, rape and other forms of abuse and
maltreatment; and in order to practice their right to recognition before the law, gender-
diverse and trans persons are often victim to violence in health-care settings such as forced
psychiatric evaluations, unwanted surgeries, sterilization or other coercive medical
procedures, often justified by discriminatory medical classifications. Trans persons are
particularly vulnerable to human rights violations when their name and sex details in official
documents do not match their gender identity or expression. Today, however, the vast
majority of trans and gender-diverse persons in the world do not have access to gender
recognition by the State. That scenario creates a legal vacuum and a climate that tacitly
fosters stigma and prejudice against them.
At the root of the acts of violence and discrimination lies the intent to punish based on
preconceived notions of what the victim's gender identity should be, with a binary
understanding of what constitutes a male and a female, or the masculine and the feminine.
These acts are invariably the manifestation of deeply entrenched stigma and prejudice,
irrational hatred and a form of gender-based violence, driven by an intention to punish those
seen as defying gender norms.

2) Pathologizing of trans identities

For years, mental health diagnoses have been misused to pathologize identities and other
diversities. In 2017, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health stated that reducing
trans identities to diseases aggravated stigma and discrimination. In 2019, the World Health
Assembly adopted the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-
11), which removed trans-related categories from the chapter on mental and behavioural
disorders. The revision de-pathologizes trans identities and is considered an important step
forward to ensure trans persons can live free from violence and discrimination. It is important
to note that for a long time, pathologizing has had a deep impact on public policy, legislation
and jurisprudence, thus permeating in all realms of State action around the world and the
collective conscience. Eradicating the conception of some forms of gender as a pathology
from everyday life will be a longer process that will require further measures to that end.
3) Stigmatization & Harassment of Transgender People in Educational System
The transgender community is a highly marginalized and vulnerable one and is seriously
lagging behind on human development index mainly in the area of education. Majority of this
community is illiterate or less educated due to which they are not able to participate fully in
social, cultural, political and economic activities. Actually, educational Institutions are very
much gendered place. Stigmatization of gender-nonconforming and transgender children and
youth is amplified in the educational system, which mirrors the rest of society in reinforcing
strictly binary and patriarchal gender norms. According to Indian Census 2011, the population
of transgender is around 4.9 lakh in the country. Census data also reveals that this community
has low literacy rate, just 46 percent transgenders are literate, compared to 74 percent
literacy in the general population.

4) Poor Economic Conditions and Discrimination in the Workplace:

Low literacy rate and social exclusion further limits the employment and livelihood
opportunities for transgender community. There are several factors responsible for their
economic deprivations which are as Exclusion from Family and Society, Stigma and
Discrimination at work place, Lack of knowledge and training in vocational skill development,
Lack of opportunities and Lack of confidence in engaging them by employers. Stigma,
discrimination and violence against gender-nonconforming and transgender children in
families and school systems, are further compounded by economic marginalization. Those
transgender individuals who manage to survive the hostility they encounter as children and
youth, find their employment opportunities as to be curtailed, both by the limited formal
education many have had, and by stigma and discrimination in recruitment practices of many
employers, as well as hostility in most workplaces, absence of gender-appropriate rest rooms,
etc..

5) Legal gender recognition

Self-determined gender is a cornerstone of a person's identity. The resulting obligation of
States is to provide access to gender recognition in a manner consistent with the rights to
freedom from discrimination, equal protection of the law, privacy, identity and freedom of
expression. The lack of access to gender recognition negates the identity of a person to such
an extent that it provokes a fundamental rupture of State obligations. Denying someone the
legal recognition of their gender negatively impacts all aspects of their life: their right to
health, to housing, to access social security, to freedom of movement and residence; and it
also fuels discrimination, violence and exclusion in social settings, including educational and
work environments. When States recognize the gender identity of trans persons, they often
impose abusive requirements, such as medical certification, surgery, treatment, sterilization
or divorce.

6) Health Barriers
Transgender persons suffer significant health disparities in multiple arenas Real or perceived
stigma and discrimination within biomedicine and the health care provision in general may
impact transgender people’s desire and ability to access appropriate care. Transgender
women (Male to Female, MTF) are internationally recognized as a population group that
carries a disproportionate burden of HIV infection, with a worldwide HIV prevalence of 20% .
A US sample of 1093 transgender persons demonstrated a high prevalence of clinical
depression (44.1%), anxiety (33.2%), and somatization (27.5%). In the largest national
transgender survey to date, 30% of the respondents reported current smoking (1.5x the rate
of the general population), 26% reported current or former alcohol or drug use to cope with
mistreatment, and 41% report having attempted suicide (26x higher than the general
population). While some of these health care barriers are faced by other minority groups,
many are unique and many are significantly magnified for transgender persons.
In addition to the usual care, transgender patients often require medical interventions such
as hormone therapy and/or surgery. The biggest barrier both to safe hormonal therapy and
to appropriate general medical care for transgender patients is the lack of access to care.
Despite both guidelines and data supporting the current transgender medicine treatment
paradigm, transgender patients report that lack of providers with expertise in transgender
medicine represents the single largest component inhibiting access. Transgender treatment
is not taught in conventional medical curriculum and too few physicians have the requisite
knowledge and comfort level
IV. Discussion –
The objective of this project was to understand the problems faced by Transgender
Community, People who don’t conform to conventional system of gender identity
constructed by society often meet with a lot of criticism and backlash for the same reason.
It’s has been already mentioned that why people have internalised Trans-Phobia or Homo-
Phobia, it may be because of lack of awareness or lack of involvement of Government, in
addition to this, Stigmatization and Pathologizing of this subject are the causes which lead
people to think that this is a psychological disorder. Also, the deep-rooted antipathy which
may have been learned in childhood as a result of pre-existing prejudices and stereotypes
may cause people to say racial or sexual slurs, in which most of the times the person saying
slurs is unaware about how offensive it may be or the consequence it may have on the other
person.
Transgender individuals in India face a multitude of challenges on a daily basis, including social
stigma, discrimination, and limited access to healthcare, education, and employment
opportunities. According to a survey conducted by the National Human Rights Commission in
2016, only 10% of transgender individuals in India are employed, and 92% of those surveyed
reported facing harassment or abuse at their workplace. In addition to economic barriers,
transgender individuals in India also face significant health disparities. A study by the All India
Institute of Medical Sciences found that transgender individuals in India are more likely to
experience mental health issues and are at a higher risk of HIV/AIDS compared to the general
population.
Despite these challenges, there have been beneficial laws and activism in India aimed at
improving the lives of transgender individuals. In 2014, the Indian Supreme Court recognized
transgender individuals as a third gender and directed the government to provide them with
equal opportunities and protections. The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act,
2019 also prohibits discrimination against transgender individuals in employment, education,
and healthcare
One potential solution to the challenges faced by transgender individuals in India is to
increase access to education and employment opportunities. This could involve implementing
affirmative action policies to ensure that transgender individuals have equal opportunities in
education and employment. Additionally, training programs could be developed to provide
employers with the tools they need to create inclusive workplaces for transgender
employees.
In conclusion, transgender individuals face numerous challenges in their everyday lives,
including discrimination, lack of access to healthcare and education, and limited job
opportunities. There have been beneficial laws and activism in this sphere aimed at improving
the lives of transgender individuals. Increasing education and awareness about transgender
issues could be a useful solution to help reduce discrimination and stigma and improve the
lives of transgender individuals.
V. Conclusion –
The Transgender community faces myriad of problems on a daily basis. In a world where
change is discouraged, one can not expect development. One can only imagine the
humiliation Trans People have to face just because they don’t fit in the gender norms or the
conventional and orthodox perspective of society on Gender. The cost that they have to pay
just to express themselves is too high and defeats the purpose of basic Human Rights. People
belonging to Trans-community and LGBTQIA+ Community in general live in constant fear and
distress because of all the antipathy. There are very less people who come out for support of
LGBT, it’s because they are either silenced by the society or they get humiliated due to which
many avoid raising their voice and coming out for support of the LGBTQIA+ Community.
Orthodox Anti-LGBT people don’t acknowledge the existence of ‘Transgender-Culture’ in the
ancient times, they may come up with any false-information to deny the facts and historical
evidences. This only worsen the situation. Besides all the humiliation, Transgender people
have to go through various Political and Legal barriers. They may be denied to participate in
the political processes, the court proceedings may be delayed, or they may not even be able
to get a capable legal Practitioner to begin with. In addition to this, they face various health
barriers, often they are not provided with necessary and adequate medical resources. They
face discrimination in work places which is already worse for women, one can only imagine
the predicament trans-people are in.
On a brighter side, the pronoun movement gaining momentum is testament to the fact that
change is possible and that more and more people are acknowledging the LGBTQIA+
Community. This movement is for transgender individuals, it seeks to recognize and affirm
their gender identities by allowing them to use pronouns that align with their gender identity,
rather than those assigned to them at birth. For example, a transgender woman may prefer
to use she/her pronouns, while a transgender man may prefer he/him pronouns. Non-binary
individuals may use they/them pronouns. Using the correct pronouns is a crucial aspect of
respecting a person's gender identity and can have a significant impact on their well-being.
Being misgendered, or referred to by incorrect pronouns, can be a source of distress and can
contribute to feelings of invalidation, anxiety, and depression. Conversely, being referred to
by the correct pronouns can contribute to a sense of validation, acceptance, and belonging.
The pronoun movement is an important step towards creating a more inclusive and accepting
society for transgender individuals. It recognizes the diversity of gender identities and
provides a way for people to express themselves in a way that feels authentic and true to who
they are.
Moreover, Cosmetic Industry and Fashion Brands are trying to be more inclusive for the
LGBTQIA+ Community, this is beneficial for those who don’t conform to conventional
gender norms. The new Make-up and Fashion options give them more freedom and liberty
for expressing themselves.
There is a long way to go in order to achieve absolute recognition and acknowledgement of
LGBTQIA+ community, slowly but the change is happening, more and more people are
joining the movement to achieve equality for the Trans-Community. In most countries
‘Trans- Friendly’ laws are already enforced and implemented. The United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) do not explicitly mention the LGBT community, but
they have important implications for promoting equality, gender empowerment, access to
healthcare, and inclusive societies. By reducing discrimination and promoting peaceful and
inclusive societies, the SDGs can help create a more accepting and safer environment for
LGBT people.
To conclude my project, The Transgenders people face several problems everyday in their
personal and professional spheres, However, more and more people are joining the
movement in support of transgender community in helping them by creating a
discrimination-free and LGBT-Inclusive environment.
VI. References –
1) Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them, Gender Minorities Aotearoa,
2015, Latest Edition 2020,
https://genderminorities.com/glossary-transgender/
2) ERIN BLAKEMORE, How historians are documenting the lives of transgender people,
National Geographic, 2022,
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/how-historians-are-documenting-
lives-of-transgender-people
3) Mr. Habin. H, TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IN INDIA: A STUDY ON THE RELIGIOUS AND
CULTURAL HISTORY, Amazon AWS, 2021,
http://s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/ijmer/pdf/volume10/volume10-issue1(4)/4.pdf
4) Transgender Issues, Funders for LGBTQ Issues,
https://lgbtfunders.org/resources/issues/transgender-issues/
5) The struggle of trans and gender-diverse persons, UNOHCHR,
https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/ie-sexual-orientation-and-gender-
identity/struggle-trans-and-gender-diverse-persons
6) Dr. Vasant More, PROBLEMS OF TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IN INDIA: A SOCIOLOGICAL
STUDY, 2021, Vivek Research Journal,
http://vivekresearchjournal.org/current_issue/nmarch2021/15%20PROBLEMS%20OF%20TR
ANSGENDER%20COMMUNITY%20IN%20INDIA%20(1).pdf
7) Joshua D. Safer, Eli Coleman, Jamie Feldman, Robert Garofalo, Wylie Hembree, Asa Radix,
and Jae Seveliusf, 2021, Barriers to Health Care for Transgender Individuals, National Library
of Medicine, Centre for American Progress,
https://www.americanprogress.org/article/protecting-advancing-health-care-transgender-
adult-communities/