Insta
Parliamentary Panel Criticises Government’s Draft Transgender Bill
Swarajya Staff
Jul 23, 2017, 06:27 PM | Updated 06:27 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
The Union government has come under criticism over a draft transgender bill, which according to a parliamentary panel, fails to address matters such as marriage and divorce among members of the community.
The panel said that the centre’s bill leaves the transgender community vulnerable to criminal proceedings under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.
Tabling its report in Lok Sabha, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment said transgenders "remain at risk of criminalisation under Section 377 of the IPC". The IPC section criminalises any "unnatural" sexual contact by a person including acts of homosexuality.
The panel suggested that the proposed legislation must at the very least recognise transgenders' rights to partnership and marriage. Additionally, the report also suggested that transgenders should enjoy the option to choose their gender independent of surgery or hormones.
It also asked the central and state governments and the civil society to adopt measures for creating awareness about transgenders. "While there is no shame in being a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or intersex or even straight – there is shame and dishonour in being a homophobe, a transphobe and a bigot," it said.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.