Members Of India’s Trans Community Protest Proposed ‘Trans Bill’

By Ashish Valentine
In this Jan. 15, 2019, photo, an Indian hijra walks on the banks after taking a dip along with other members of the newly formed “Kinnar akhara” monastic order on the auspicious Makar Sankranti day during the Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh state, India. Unlike other akharas, which are only open to Hindu men, Kinnar, founded in 2015, is open to all genders and religions. This is the first time the newly formed Kinnar Akhara, or monastic order, has set up camp at the massive temporary city in Prayagraj, led by transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi.
In this Jan. 15, 2019, photo, an Indian hijra walks on the banks after taking a dip along with other members of the newly formed "Kinnar akhara" monastic order on the auspicious Makar Sankranti day during the Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh state, India. Unlike other akharas, which are only open to Hindu men, Kinnar, founded in 2015, is open to all genders and religions. This is the first time the newly formed Kinnar Akhara, or monastic order, has set up camp at the massive temporary city in Prayagraj, led by transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi. Bernat Armangue / WBEZ
In this Jan. 15, 2019, photo, an Indian hijra walks on the banks after taking a dip along with other members of the newly formed “Kinnar akhara” monastic order on the auspicious Makar Sankranti day during the Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh state, India. Unlike other akharas, which are only open to Hindu men, Kinnar, founded in 2015, is open to all genders and religions. This is the first time the newly formed Kinnar Akhara, or monastic order, has set up camp at the massive temporary city in Prayagraj, led by transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi.
In this Jan. 15, 2019, photo, an Indian hijra walks on the banks after taking a dip along with other members of the newly formed "Kinnar akhara" monastic order on the auspicious Makar Sankranti day during the Kumbh Mela festival in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh state, India. Unlike other akharas, which are only open to Hindu men, Kinnar, founded in 2015, is open to all genders and religions. This is the first time the newly formed Kinnar Akhara, or monastic order, has set up camp at the massive temporary city in Prayagraj, led by transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi. Bernat Armangue / WBEZ

Members Of India’s Trans Community Protest Proposed ‘Trans Bill’

By Ashish Valentine

Transgender rights activists in India have called December 17, 2019 a “Black Day.” That’s when the lower house of India’s parliament hurriedly passed the Transgender Persons’ Protection of Rights Bill. Activists argue that the well-intentioned bill, written up as an implementation of the Supreme Court’s 2014 order obliging the central government to do more to protect trans rights, proposes a regressive notion of gender identity without providing the material protections. Activists also criticize the fact that the law was drafted without the input of trans-identifying people. Bangladeshi-American trans activist and Trikone Chicago board member Sal Salam joins us to discuss gender and sexual identity in India.