“Sustainable Development with Trans-inclusiveness in Indian Families, Education
System, and Employment Leading a Ripple Effect across the Nation,”
Pooja Varma, PhD, Department of Psychology, Jain (Deemed-to-be University), Bangalore,
Karnataka, India
Abstract
Providing the transgender community equal constitutional rights is essential to
empower them, reduce social stigmas and improve their socio-economic position. It
recognised that the self-identification of one’s gender is enough to provide rights to
individuals. The non-conformity of gender inclusiveness challenges the traditional
notions around family, kinship and nation. Lower income communities, less education or
unemployment, living with disabilities that impacts on their enjoyment and their freedoms
and their ability to access them. Although many employers are adopting good non-
discrimination policies, many others are still entirely uninformed about transgender issues.
When they transition or are out as trans on the job, it is important for them to know their legal
rights and also to know how they want things to be handled through expanding their network
of support will provide a very worthwhile payoff. Mental health providers such as
psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers can be wonderful allies to gender
nonconforming children and their families. Having identity documents (IDs) that match their
gender identity and the way we live in the world is an important part of being able to
participate in society safely and with dignity and privacy. Wherever possible, make sure that
any environments a vulnerable child enters (such as schools, camps, or after-school
programs) have inclusive policies and an antibullying commitment in education system.
International development organisations can play a transformative role to ensure they are not
left behind. Education is a great leveller and is the best tool for achieving economic and
social mobility, inclusion, and equality. Initiatives must be in place to ensure that all students
from such groups, despite inherent obstacles, are provided various targeted opportunities to
enter and excel in the educational system that support responsible commitment to human
rights, sustainable development and living, and global well-being, thereby reflecting a truly
global citizen.
The Transgender Person (Protection of Rights) Act was enacted with a view
to providing for the protection of rights of transgender persons and their
welfare and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto. But form
the day the bill was presented in the parliament, it has been causing huge
disruption among the community members and activists, for its numerous
flaws and faults in regard to understanding the needs of transgender people.
The provisions of the said Act came into force on 10th January 2020.
In India, there are no consolidated, large scale efforts to reach the transgender community to
enhance their livelihood opportunities. However, there have been disconnected and divergent
initiatives from state governments, civil society organisations and private sector towards skill
building, employment and supporting entrepreneurship among the community.
Transgender persons leave home very early on because their families do not accept them.
Many of them are forced out of school because of transphobic bullying and violence. Hence,
they do not finish education and become ineligible to apply for jobs. In addition, some of
their beliefs is rooted deep within the specific cultural norms of the transgender community.
The idea of adopting full time employment comes as a cultural challenge to many transgender
persons, especially from the older generation, who has for long lived on proceeds from
begging. The younger transgender people, who join the Guru-Chela system, often feel
compelled to beg and follow the norm to ensure the guardianship and protection of the Gurus.
Diverse, disconnected initiatives provide skilling and livelihood access to transgender
persons
Transgender persons face multiple challenges to accessing livelihoods
Transgender people’s effeminate behaviour, trans status, real or perceived association with
sex work; real or perceived HIV status, dress code, physical appearance and others contribute
to the multiple forms of discrimination they face from families, neighbourhood, communities
and public and private institutions.
Below is a list of success stories from across the states.
● The Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) decided to employ transgender people for
customer care, crowd management and housekeeping in July 206. These services are
outsourced and do not come directlyundertheKMRL’spayroll.But it is one of the few
initiatives taken by government led organisations to include transgender individuals in their
work force. (The Hindu, July 4, 206) [8]
● In the year 2015, a group of students from Ramjas College in Delhi University arranged for
professional training for 20 transgender people that would make them financially
independent. They contacted various not for profits that work with the transgender
community and executed the training through Enactus, a not for profit that works with
student groups in
colleges. The students also hired designers from National Institute of Fashion Technology to
train transgender people. (Hindustan Times, November 24, 205) [9]
● Aishwarya Rutuparna Pradhan hails from the district of Kandhamal in Orissa. After
spending five years giving exams for the civil services, she applied for an affidavit to change
to her name after the Supreme court ruling of April 5, 204 and became the first person from
the transgender Community to become a civil servant in India. (Centre of social research·
July 9, 206) [0]
● Kajol is a transgender person who heads the Social Action for Emancipation. She arranged
funding from tamil actor Karthi Sivakumaran for juicer machiners (costing Rs. 28,000) for
members of the transgender community to help set up juice stalls. (Inclusion of transgenders:
A small step ahead,IRJBM) []
● Padmini Prakash became the first transwoman news anchor in India in the year 204. (Better
India, September 20, 204) [2]
● Corporate organisations have also taken initiatives to have a workforce that is inclusive of
the transgender community. Companies have groups within the organisation that address
gender sensitive issues and helps create a safe workspace for the LGBTQ community. Some
of these groups include Gayglers (Google), Employee Alliance for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
and Transgender Empowerment aka EAGLE (IBM). (Indiacsr.in, December 26, 202) [3]
“Though there are no separate targets for special groups like PWD, victims of
trafficking, manual scavengers, trans-gender, rehabilitated bonded labour and
other vulnerable groups, States have to develop strategies that address issues of
access of special groups who usually get left out. The nature of affirmative
action that is required to overcome their challenges and barriers to participation
needs to be incorporated into the Skill action plan proposed by the State...”
- DDU-GKY, Empowering India, Powering the World, Programme
Guidelines, July 2016
3.2.1. Begging is the main livelihood option among transgender persons
Figure 7 shows the livelihood profile of the transgender persons who participated in the
study.
52% of the transgender respondents of the study begged for a living, making it the main form
of livelihood for the community across the five states. This was followed by sex work (4%),
giving blessings during traditional festivities or birth of a child (4%) and working in social
development with community organisations (9%). About 3% of transgenders engaged in both
sex work and begging to make ends meet.
3.2.2. Transgender persons hold low income formal jobs
‘We are not asking for a good job but can’t we get something which will help us to eat roti
twice a day?”
- Interview with transgender person, Gujarat, November 206
Study respondents mentioned that their peers who held full time jobs worked as caterers,
beauticians, tailors, fashion designers, school peon, office assistants, dancers and dance
instructors, vegetable vendors and petty shop business.
Many of their peers, who applied for jobs were either not hired or reported as having given up
the process of looking for jobs due to repeated failures.
Respondents from all five states said that at least half of their peers or friends would be
interested in having full time jobs that will earn them a stable income, afford them a good
house and ensure them food security.
3.2.3.
a. Discrimination and Stigma
“I have as a transperson interacted with various training institutes and find most such
programs pointless. The reason is that transpeople are not lacking in training, they are
lacking in job opportunities to implement that training. The programmes that place people
are few and far between, and I know of only one that has actually delivered.”
- Interview with Bittu Kondaiah, Trans- activist, December 206
Discrimination and stigma poses the biggest challenge for the community to access
employment or other legal livelihood options. Respondents
cited numerous instances where interviewers do not get back to them post interviews despite
meeting eligibility criteria for the jobs applied. Employers are not comfortable hiring
someone from the community and often neglect and reject applications based on orientation.
Even if they manage to get jobs, they are not paid enough or not paid consistently. They also
said that businesses fear that they will lose customers if they employ members of the
community.
b. Lack of education and awareness
“Our education is discontinued because we leave home. You have to pass at least Class X
to get a peon’s job.”
- FGD with Transgender Persons, Gujarat, November 206
Most transgender persons leave home at an early age and so do not finish their education.
Most employment opportunities seek individuals who have completed education upto Class 0
or 2. Applications get disqualified because of lack of education of the candidate. After
leaving home, transgender people live secluded lives. Unless connected to local not-for-
profits or community organisations, their exposure to the affairs of the world becomes
limited.
c. Mismatch in skills and livelihood opportunities
In certain cases, even if the transgender persons have the
required skills, they are unable to turn it into a form of livelihood. This happens mainly due
to two reasons. () Lack of understanding on how to convert existing skillsets to livelihood
opportunities (2) Lack of support from government in terms of training and employment
opportunities to match their existing skillsets.
For eg, a skill in stitching can be turned into a tailoring business with proper guidance and
training
d. Medical issues
Transgender people go through a body shock when they get their sex reassignment surgeries.
Thus, it becomes difficult for them to do jobs that involves a lot of manual labour. Labour
and daily wage jobs that can be done without educational qualification are not suitable for
their bodies.
e. Mismatch of information in identity cards
“It takes six months or more to get the documents corrected. Sometimes multiple visits are
needed. Most people just give up and stop going to the government office.”
- FGD with Transgender Persons, Tamil Nadu, October 206
Discrepancy between their birth certificates and official documents after sex reassignment
surgery poses a problem for transgender women while searching for suitable employment.
The name and sex in confusion regarding whether to enrol them for employment under the
women’s or men’s quota. The processes involved in applying for a change in gender in all
certificates is tedious. There is delay in making the changes and most people give up while in
the process of getting documents corrected. Without proper documents, individuals are
unable to apply for jobs and choose any job that is able to give them an income.
Transgender people are one of the most discriminated high risk groups in India. Census 20
counted 4.9 lakh transgender people in India. The proportion of those working in the
Transgender community is much lower (38%) compared to 46% in the general population.
Only 65% of the Transgender Community, as compared to 75% in the general population,
find work for more than six months in the year [3].
LivELihOOD
A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources)
and activities required for a means of living. A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope
with and recover from stress and shocks and maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets
both now and in the future, while not undermining the natural resource base.
- Chambers & Conway, 1991 [2]
population, as literate [5]. All of these increase their vulnerability to poverty.
Few of the government schemes, including the National Rural and Urban Livelihood
Missions, to provide livelihood opportunities to economically weaker sections of the society
include transgender people as a beneficiary group. Corporate organisations with specifically
stated policies to employ sexual minorities and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
programmes purposively designed to skill and employ them also open up formal employment
opportunities for transgender people in India.
Despite these measures, transgender people in India have found it extremely difficult to get
skill training and jobs due to social taboos and customs, and strong prejudices dominating
family and work spaces.
Lack of livelihood options is a key reason for a significant proportion of transgender people
to choose or continue to be in sex work - with its associated HIV and health- related risks.
For any public health programmes to be a success, addressing barriers to livelihoods for
transgender people is critical.
Ensuring their socio-economic empowerment and a stigma free and equal society will
enable the community to have access to better education, employment, and health services
and live a life with dignity.
In this context, the study aimed to understand the barriers and enablers to access to skilling
and livelihood opportunities for transgender people in India, and document government,
private sector and civil society measures to address the issue
Livelihood vulnerability directly increases risk and vulnerability to HIV. National HIV
prevalence is 0.3%, whereas HIV prevalence among the transgender community is estimated
to be 8.2%. [4]. Limited livelihood options adversely affect their socio-economic well being
characterised by poor access to education, housing and food insecurity. Census 20 found only
46% of the Transgender population, as compared to 76% of general
