Since independence, our freedom fighters have fought for the rights we thoroughly take for granted today - rights that include freedom of speech, renting a flat, having all the necessities of life, and much more. Turning over to another page of the same book that most of us skip, is the fact that everyone does not enjoy the same rights. What we call &ldquo;human rights&rdquo; or &ldquo;universal rights&rdquo; are not so universal when it comes to certain genders and sexualities.&nbsp;

Pic: Canva

A friend of mine who identified as a trans woman was looking for accommodation in one of the metro cities in the hope to grow her small-scale business. While she got positive responses on call from many landlords, they turned on her when she met them in person - they gave no explicit reasons but she became aware of how tough it would be to even have a roof to sleep under because of her identity. In the end, one of the community allies rented her a flat out&nbsp; through common connections.&nbsp;
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Pic : Canva

While bills have been passed to uphold trans rights, they have done more bad than good. According to a clause in an Indian bill, trans individuals can get a &lsquo;transgender certificate&rsquo; through a process that might not actually uphold due respect towards the expression and sense of gender identity. To get this certificate, they need to provide proof of surgery (male to female, or vice versa) and the government official should be satisfied with this change of gender identity and the correctness of the certificate. This again puts the power in the hands of other people rather than the individual themself to identify as what they are and also forces medical procedures on everyone (including the ones who might not want to go down that path). The acts that have been passed do prohibit discriminatory actions against trans people but do not vouch for any affirming procedures that would give the trans community the same space as other genders.&nbsp;&nbsp;
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Moving forward, it is essential to understand the depth of issues faced by trans individuals due to not only the explicit but also the subtle persistence of transphobia and homophobia. The invisibility and trauma caused by exclusion can lead to devastating effects on the trans community as a whole, graver than what we already know - they are more likely to have suicidal ideations, to have depressive symptoms, and most importantly to live a life they do not want to! There is a need to take re-affirming and legal steps and vouch for some progress. What would progress look like though? Progress would look like when every trans individual (including children) feels safe and comfortable in all kinds of environments - which means at schools, employment places, hospitals, and other public spaces.&nbsp;
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Should we discriminate on how people look, the way people live, or who people actually are? It is high time we propagate a world where everyone lives rightfully with dignity, and this should start from home itself! It is definitely important to introduce laws and policies to protect the trans community, but it is equally important to sensitize individuals holding posts as officials to provide inclusive and respectful services to them. The next step would entail all of us as the larger community that lives and breathes a discrimination-free society, upholding every right - to each their own!&nbsp;
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“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” 
Article 1 (Universal Declaration of Human Rights) 


Trans Rights Are Human Rights