Criticism Mounts Over Transgender Amendment Bill's Legal Inequality
MP Swati Maliwal criticized the Transgender Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha for its legal inequalities. She highlighted the reduced punishment for transgender abuse and inadequate implementation of the 2019 Act. Maliwal called for further consultations, emphasizing the bill's move away from self-identification, impacting transgender rights and dignity.
- Country:
- India
On Wednesday, Swati Maliwal, a member of the Rajya Sabha, criticized the recent Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill for its glaring legal inequalities. She pointed out that the bill set a maximum punishment of only two years for the sexual abuse of transgender individuals, compared to a minimum of ten years for the same crime against cisgender women. Maliwal questioned, 'Is a trans woman's body and dignity worth any less?'
Maliwal addressed the House, highlighting ineffective implementation of the Transgender Persons Act, 2019. She mentioned the lack of Transgender Welfare Boards in 11 states and territories, the rare meetings of the National Council for Transgenders, and the limited number of Garima Grehs nationwide. She shared stories of discrimination, including a transgender teacher forced to resign due to her identity and a young trans artist's tragic suicide.
Maliwal criticized the amendment's narrowing definition of transgender, emphasizing its contradiction to the 2014 Supreme Court's NALSA judgment on gender identity rights. She described the certification process as humiliating, with degrading questions posed by officials. Maliwal urged the House to refer the bill to a Select Committee and consult with the transgender community before passing it, as the Rajya Sabha did after a voice vote in the Lok Sabha.
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