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India's transgender community gets official recognition in country's electoral roll
ABC Radio Australia - March 26, 2014
The Election Commission, which has the mammoth task of organising the upcoming poll, has introduced an 'others' gender option for voter identity cards.
There are an estimated three million transgender people, or hijras, in India. They are a broad community encompassing transgender men and women, eunuchs, transvestites and can range from natural intersex to male cross-dressers.
While hijras will be voting for the first time in the general election, poll officials say only a handful of the community members have been enrolled in the category. Some estimate the number to be no more than 28,000.
The changes by the commission does not appear to have motivated the transgender community, with many reluctant to be part of the electoral system and be enrolled as voters.
"Politicians come to us seeking votes but they do nothing for us," said Madhu, a transgender person. "They don't understand our problems or hardships. Why should we vote for them?"
Rupika Dhillon, project director of the Society for People's Awareness, Care and Empowerment, says the interests of transgender people have long been ignored by the government.
"No political parties, MLAs and MPs visit their areas," she said. "They are really beautiful but inside, a small corner is really sad. They have a horrible feeling about the upcoming elections." 'They consider us aliens'
Social acceptance has been slow in coming for India's transgender community. Ostracised by family and friends and harassed constantly by the police, hijras earn their living singing and dancing at celebrations of births and weddings, and sometimes through begging and prostitution.
After the Supreme Court ruling that restored Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, making homosexuality a criminal offence again late last year, many transgender people have found the going tough.
"Forget about politicians, our own family members do not respect us," transgender Aarti Sharma said. "They consider us aliens. It is really a strange situation that we find ourselves,"
Activist Anjan Joshi says transgender groups are constantly living in fear. "There is a lot of police harassment, the community fears [trangender individuals] gathering in public places," he said.
"There is lack of access to public spaces because of this Section. Those who are into sex work – either by choice or misfortune – are being harassed and blackmailed by the police, are being abused physically and sexually by people, criminal element and the police."
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