Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (ANK)

Mangaluru, Feb 22: Raising a complaint, a transgender alleged that a policeman sought sexual favours from her, during the legal awareness programme for sexual minorities held at zilla panchayat on Tuesday February 21.

The programme was chaired by member secretary of Dakshina Kannada legal services authority, Shobha B G.

During the meeting several issues were raised by the transgender community.

A police personnel questioned about transgenders doing business in streets after 11 pm. In reply, one of the transgenders denied about doing business and said, “We are not doing business in streets. Even we want to quit sex workers job if provided with any other job. A police personnel too had asked for sexual favours.”

The transgender also said, “We usually discontinue our education due to different reason and leave our houses. Will we be given jobs? We are denied opportunity in every sector be it education or jobs. We face problems whenever we look for rented houses. We will be asked to pay rent double. Why do house owners discriminate us?”

Another transgender said, “We do not get respect in the society. We do not like to be sex workers as we want to live a normal life working and earning. But the society does not want to occupy us. We are even ready to do cleaning work at police stations. Are they ready to give job to us? We do not have even proper identification cards such as Aadhar card or voter ID.”

In response, Shobha said, “Regarding Aadhar card or voter ID, you can complain to the concerned department and get it done. The district legal services authority is always there to help when the concerned department fail to do their duties.”

She also said, “The community members should also co-operate with the police in giving any information when your own community members indulge in illegal activities.”