This is awesome, I mean so bloody awesome.
National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bangalore vice-chancellor Prof R Venkata Rao told TOI this was an important move in the area of human rights. “During interaction with transgenders, they pointed out that in application forms, it was always Male or Female in the gender category but there’s no mention of Transgenders or Others. This got us thinking.”
The idea of including ‘Others’ in applications will be placed before the Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) committee. “We planned to include it this year itself but CLAT forms had already been issued. The proposal will be put before the committee which may meet in October or November and see that adequate space is given to them,” Venkata Rao said. If transgenders apply, they will be selected based on merit.
Law schools will counsel students who will study with transgenders. “Students should laugh with others, not at others. That will be our motto,” he added.
While NLSIU is taking this initiative, Bangalore University and University of Mumbai have already incorporated this provision in their admission procedure. [Link]
Hopefully some sense will prevail among the Heads of private colleges and institutes, and we shall see more of such positive reactions in the near future.
Tamil Nadu the only state in India to accord official status to the third sex
WOW! This is truly amazing!
No fuckin way! I’m a product of one of the National Law Schools. And I never thought I’d see this day. WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!
While I defintely think the empathy is admirable, I still don’t believe in the classification. When someone says “Others” it basically excludes a section of the community which is anything but inclusive. In other words, this might get interpreted as, transfolks are not males and not females and are a whole different set of species resulting in further marginalisation. I think the more humane form of treatment would be to let the people chose their “preferred” Gender. You cannot define an individual with labels. Many trans folks (transmen, transwomen, intersex, genderQ)
believe that if they want to check against an “M” or “F”, they should have the right to do so and not wait upon someone to define them.
First of all a sex option in forms is totally unnecessary. Again, I just fear this will lead to persecution where instead of being forced to choose between the binary, it will lead to choosing between the 3. Which does not make a whole lot of a difference. While I respect those who want to chose among the 2 or 3 options available, I personally prefer a”U” for “Undeclared/Prefer not to say” option. After all, I do not want the govt or any other body to dictate who I am or force me to choose between a subset of options they think is correct. If I know I am a woman or a man, I am going to mark so irrespective of my genitals or gonads.
That said, I think this is a very progressive move and makes me proud. The very fact that binary form has been broken is awesome. Getting an education and attending school as you are would be the best thing that could ever happen. It takes a generation for a society’s attitude to change. I am hoping the batch of 2011 and after will have the sense of inclusiveness. BTW, This is something that no western society has yet established and this would be a great trendsetter. Great!
rashmi i’m from the batch of 2010 from one of these schools and I’ve always been appalled at the lack of queer visibility. I’ve always thought lawyers should be the first to bring social change. I’m glad we are now. Hopefully the batch of 2015 onwards will see some real change.
@ Rashmi – Agreed the “classification” aspect could be a little dicey but I believe the initiative taken is done with the right intention. It now provides a “choice” which did not exists earlier. Those who want to take it can do so, and those who want to stick to the binary can do so too.
I personally believe its a fantastic move. And not just in terms of providing choices but also, the positive impact this will have on the society in the long run.