Life’s not rosy for this Begum

Sitara Begum is a differently-abled transwoman who completed her BA (Hindi literature) in 2008 and passed out of Hindi Pandit Training in 2009 from Nellore. But post her education, life has not been a bed of roses. She has been denied jobs in government offices, private and aided schools, only because she belongs to the third gender.

Sitara was in Hyderabad recently to participate in a dharna to recognise the rights of transgenders in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. “I am receiving a pension of Rs 1,500 per month as am differently-abled. I was denied a shot at District Selection Committee (DSC) examination, 2014, as the application form had no slot for the third gender, despite my qualification.

I appeal to the government to implement the NALSA judgement of the Supreme Court,” demanded Sitara. The judgement if passed in the will ensure that members of the transgender and hijra community get reservation in government jobs apart from other benefits, including right to housing and medical services.

“I hope that I do not lose the chance for the DSC selection this year because it is essential for my livelihood. I hope that the government sympathises with me and the rest of the community. I will fight for the creation of a Transgender Welfare Board to look after job security and livelihood schemes and the scrapping of the Hyderabad Eunuchs Act as the community faces assault and sexual abuse both as children and at home,” she concluded.

By:Ch Saibaba