what about the source of the first mail? I think the source should be acknowledged and the writer given credit. Unless you are the Author, of course. Regards, Ravi Paul
On 11/18/09, Asudani, Rajesh <[email protected]> wrote: > I am not commenting on transsexuals, but eunuchs should, in my opinion, be > included in persons with disabilities and given benefits/facilities to > integrate them with society. > Eunuchs, meaning those who are not, genetically/anatomically, female or > male, do suffer a number of prejudices and a consequent deprivation of > legitimate opportunities in life. > As a result, a host of them do not make the thing public and disguise > themselves into male/female persons most of the times. > Those who do make the thing public or can not keep it disguised due to > obvious reasons or have courage to do accept their status, have only one > role defined in society, I don't know why. > Even our supreme court turned them away by dismissing a writ petition for > equal rights and saying that such demands are bbest dealt with parliament > under oft-repeated but more oft-violated doctrine of separation of powers. > > Regards > > > Rajesh Asudani > > Assistant General Manager, > Reserve Bank of India > Nagpur > 09420397185 > O: 0712 2806676 > Res: 0712 2591349 > Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?" > John Milton > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Asudani, Rajesh > Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 12:28 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [AI] Legitimising the other > > Legitimising the other > > The decision of the Election Commission of India to allow eunuchs and > transsexuals the choice of registering under a separate sexual identity is a > significant step towards mainstreaming an ostracised people who have been > treated heartlessly by society. By giving them the choice of registering as > "Others," thereby dropping the requirement that they declare themselves male > or female, the ECI has freed sexual identity from the trappings of > obscurantism and bigotry. This should open the doors to other kinds of > official identification and speed up the process of social inclusion. As > things stand, official recognition for the third sex is contained in a few > government documents - in passport application forms and on ration cards > issued in some States, notably Tamil Nadu. The ECI's decision, which will > enable the transgendered to contest elections as 'Others,' will give this > marginalised community a stronger political voice. The Indian discourse on > human rights has largely neglected > the transgendered. The law in India does not recognise a third sex, or sex > change operations. Nor does it allow transsexuals to choose their own > gendered role. > > This presents a contrast to liberal and progressive trends elsewhere, where > the rights of the transgendered to choose their sexual identities are > becoming more and more entrenched. In 2002, the European Court of Human > Rights held in a landmark case (Christine Goodwin v/s the United Kingdom) > that disallowing transsexuals to change their birth certificates or from > marrying in their self-assigned gender roles was a breach of the European > Convention on Human Rights. The campaign for transgender rights received a > big boost when Barack Obama was elected President of the United States. > Commendably, his administration is committed to providing the transsexual > community, along with gays, lesbians, and bi-sexuals, the full spectrum of > equal rights in civil union and at the workplace. The International Bill of > Gender Rights, which was drafted and adopted at a conference in 1993 and > subsequently modified, lays down a constructive framework for the right to > define and freely express one's > sexual identity. It has served as a working model for progressive reform > in many countries. It is heartening that the ECI has taken the bold step in > favour of the transgendered at a time when the central government's > commitment to LGTB rights is wobbly - reflected in its vacillations on the > repeal or suitable amendment of Article 377 of the Indian Penal Code, a > colonial-era provision that criminalises "unnatural sex" even if it is > between consenting adults. > > > Rajesh Asudani > > Assistant General Manager, > Reserve Bank of India > Nagpur > 09420397185 > O: 0712 2806676 > Res: 0712 2591349 > Doth God exact day-labour, light denied?" > John Milton > > > ________________________________ > Notice: This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and > intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are > addressed. If you are not the intended recipient, any dissemination, use, > review, distribution, printing or copying of the information contained in > this e-mail message and/or attachments to it are strictly prohibited. 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