Transgender Bill: ‘We Want President to Send the Bill Back’, Say Activists

On Tuesday, Rajya Sabha passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2019 amid protests from members community. The Bill, activists say, denies them the right to self-determination and strips them of their dignity. Under the provisions of the Bill, trans men and women will be required to acquire a 'gender certificate' from the District Magistrate. The DM, upon examination of medical documents will issue the gender certificate to the person. "This is highly discriminatory", say members of the trans community. In a press conference on Wednesday, the community listed out its five problems with the new Bill and said they want the President to use his authority to roll the Bill back. The Bill forces trans people to live with their birth-family even if they don't want to. The family is also required to sign the Gender certificate, without which it shall not be granted. "There is absolutely no concept of consent in this Bill. We can choose to do what we want for ourselves", said Vqueeram a trans activist at the press conference.