India has always been tolerant of transgenders and has a substantial population of them, locally called the "Hijras". In a landmark judgement of the highest court, the Indian Railways has now modified their forms needed for booking etc., to add a new category to the declaration of sex from now on. Now "Transgender" will be added as a choice of gender which had earlier been restricted to either male or female.
Despite the popular media only highlighting rapes and ethnic conflicts in India, a very positive news had come out after a judgement was announced on an ongoing case in the Supreme Court of India, India's Apex court. A petition had been filed to protect the rights of the transgender community to identify their gender as a third category other than male or female.
In a telling testament to the diversity and the participation of all communities in India, the petition had been filed by a Lawyer, Jamshed Ansari, a Muslim. And he had done so to protect the rights of the LGBT community, who are still persecuted in many countries and considered a sin in many religions, including his own.
Though the Supreme Court had issued the order in the month of April 2014, the changes had not been implemented as yet, but today, on the 27th of November, 2016, with the announcement of new forms both online and offline, India has shown the world that it is basically a tolerant nation with respect for the rights of every section of society.
- http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/third-gender-railways-irctc-include-transgender-in-reservation-forms/articleshow/55646095.cms
- http://scroll.in/latest/822636/irctc-adds-third-gender-as-an-option-in-its-ticket-forms
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