Transgender persons say they go through tests to get ID cards

Transgender persons are reportedly being subjected to medical and psychiatric examination for the aim of issuing id cards in some components of the State. This goes towards the prevailing guidelines that made self-identification a proper of transgender persons, in accordance to them.

Several transgender persons turned to authorities help following the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. However, most of them didn’t possess the transgender id cards to avail of the help.

An official supply within the Health Department stated that in a variety of districts, the social welfare places of work organised camps for medical and psychiatric analysis of transgender persons for the aim of being licensed to problem the ID cards. Such camps have been organised in districts comparable to Thanjavur, Salem, Vellore and Chennai and transgender persons have been despatched to authorities medical school hospitals and affiliated establishments.

This, he stated, was towards provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020 and ruling by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).

“Self-identification is all that is required for certification. Instead, there have been issues where transgender persons were made to undergo medical examination and psychiatric evaluation to establish their identity at government hospitals,” the officer stated.

A transgender activist, who didn’t need to be named, stated, “Some transgender persons from a few districts told me that they were subjected to physical examination. This was not the case in Chennai. But there were instances in which some had to get certified by a psychiatrist. This happened across government hospitals in Chennai. This was basically to check their mental state, and one of them told me the question was ‘what is the day today?’ This shows that the existing rules have not reached the enforcers.”

“For many transgender persons, the last year has been a tough one owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and loss of employment. The ₹2,000 assistance given by the government is extremely important and they cannot choose to avoid this psychiatric evaluation for getting their identity cards,” stated a transwoman. She questioned the necessity for them to be topic to such pointless questions on the analysis.

However, one other transgender particular person denied that they have been subjected to psychiatric analysis however have been solely despatched to get an “opinion” from a psychiatrist. “It was only earlier that we were subjected to physical examination, and to check whether we had undergone sex reassignment surgeries,” she stated.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020, has outlined that there ought to be no medical or bodily examination for procedures for problem of certificates of id/change of gender. In its ruling, NALSA, upheld the proper of all persons to self-identify their gender.

Gopi Shankar, Madurai, south regional consultant, National Council for Transgender Persons, stated the State authorities ought to instantly implement the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and guidelines notified in 2020, and likewise re-constitute the Transgender Welfare Board. They ought to problem clear-cut tips on the paperwork wanted and applicable officers to strategy.

“Screening should be done in an affirmative way. In some cases, medical examination could benefit transgender persons. Some of them may have intersex conditions and need medical attention,” Gopi stated.

A senior official from the Department of Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Department stated that there have been clear directions as to how transgender persons may get registered for making use of for an id card. “They do not need to go to a hospital and can instead, meet a committee set up by the department which will also have a doctor. The committee will give them the necessary document,” he added.