Transgender questions the government order on third option in SSLC book

Making the society aware of the sanctions and schemes available to the transgender, the government had put forth a new sanction.

But this has been challenged by one transgender.

A transwoman on Tuesday approached the Kerala High Court challenging the government order granting special sanction to enter the third option of ‘transgender’ in the SSLC book if that person underwent sex reassignment surgery.

The petitioner also sought a directive to implement the state policy for transgenders formulated in 2015.

The court sought the view of the government in the petition by Zara Sheikha, Kollam and Queerala, a Kochi-based organisation for Kerala LGBTIQ community.

According to the petitioners, the state government had not taken any steps to issue the transgender certificate in accordance with the state policy. The government’s special sanction for entering the third option of ‘transgender’ in the SSLC book if the person concerned has undergone Sex Reassignment Surgery(SRS) was against the Supreme Court verdict.

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The petition pointed out if a transgender person is identified as a male or female, they could have their gender changed to that in all their identification and other documents and avail the benefits of the transgender certificate.

The social welfare department did not allow transgender persons to declare themselves as male or a female in their identity cards.

This was against the ruling of the Supreme Court, which had upheld the transgender persons’ right to decide their gender and the Centre and state governments were directed to grant legal recognition of their gender identities such as male or female or a third gender. However, they were now forced to carry an ID card which only called themselves transgenders, an umbrella term.

About legal recognition

The Supreme Court had upheld the transgender persons’ right to decide their gender and directed the Centre and state governments to grant legal recognition of their gender identities such as male, female or a third gender. They now have to carry an ID card calling ‘transgender’.