LGBTQIA activists on India’s first-of-its-kind shelter home for transgender community: It’s a very progressive step

mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalPeople from the transgender community will remember 25 November, 2020 with a lot of fondness and pride. After all, the country’s first-of-its-kind shelter home for transgender persons was inaugurated in Vadodara on this day. In a heartwarming initiative, the ministry of social justice and empowerment, government of India, has partnered with Lakshya Trust (a community based organisation that works for the sexual and gender minorities in Gujarat) for this project. This shelter facility, which has been named as Garima Greh, will be housing 25 transgender inmates, who will be provided with basic living amenities, security and skill development training, free of cost. We spoke to Manvendra Singh Gohil and Sylvester (Sylvie) Merchant, cofounders of Lakshya Trust, Dr Manabi Bandopadhyay (India’s first openly transgender college principal) and Ankit Bhuptani (LGBT rights activist and diversity and inclusion trainer) about this initiative:.

mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalIT WILL OFFER SOME MUCH-NEEDED SUPPORT: ANKIT BHUPTANImso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalAs a Gujarati, I feel really proud that the first such shelter home has come up in Gujarat. It will offer some much-needed support to the transgender community. Apart from the traditional gharana system, they don’t have much support and they have to face tremendous financial and safety challenges.mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalThere’s a lot of exploitation that happens, which can be prevented if they get shelter. A community organisation run by the members of the LGBTQIA community means that they will be more sensitive.

mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalA VERY REASSURING MOVE, WE NEED MORE SUCH INITIATIVES: MANABI BANDOPADHYAYmso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalThis is very reassuring and it gives me great joy. Members of the transgender community are abandoned since childhood and they have no place to stay. There are times when we feel really lonely and scared when we think about the future, as we do not have old age homes also. So, this was a much-needed step and with the central government getting involved, I hope that we will see more such initiatives in other cities too and it will create awareness.

mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalTHIS INITIATIVE HAS CREATED HISTORY: MANVENDRA SINGH GOHILmso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalThis was long overdue because the historic NALSA judgment (it recognised a third gender and guaranteed equal rights to the transgender community) came in 2014. I feel it’s the government recognition that makes it really significant because it will really help in changing people’s mindset towards this vulnerable community. Some more centres will come up soon in some other cities of India! So, it’s a very progressive step and history has been created. I feel very happy about this initiative and I hope other countries also will be inspired.

mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalmso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalTHIS WILL EMPOWER THE MARGINALISED WITHIN MARGINALISED: SYLVIE MERCHANTmso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; line-height:normalThis is a direct result of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, which has provisions for the security and shelter of transgender persons. I had initiated the process with the ministry after they had asked for proposals from the community-based organisations and since we were well prepared financially and technically, they chose us. The transgender community has been isolated, stigmatised and denied basic human rights for decades. It’s the first-of-its-kind initiative taken by the central government in partnership with a community organisation, and another great thing is that they will get full support for skill development. This will empower the marginalised within the marginalised community!