Rainbow theme, indeed: Chandigarh Carnival to have stall for transgenders
The purpose is to make people aware that the UT has a transgender welfare board constituted by the administration.
This year’s Chandigarh Carnival, which will last three days beginning Friday, has the theme of ‘rainbow’. And it’s being manifested in a first-of-its-kind move.
A stall has been given by the UT administration, which organises the fest, to transgenders to be able to spread awareness about themselves and their issues. A specific purpose is to make people aware that the UT has a transgender welfare board constituted by the administration.
Dhananjay Chauhan, a transgender community leader and a member of the welfare board, said, “This is the first time that our community will have a stall, where six of our members will spread awareness about the community. We will talk about it to the public and will seek support from the ones who want to join us.”
She added, “There are many among our community who are not aware about the existence of this welfare board.” There are an estimated 2,000 transgenders in the city, according to the board member.
Surgery support in the works
“There is a proposal that those who want to get their sex reassignment surgeries done can come to the board and seek support for it at the PGIMER. The proposal is that the PGIMER too will support us in getting the treatment done free of cost in some cases,” Chauhan added.
Chauhan also shared that Panjab University, where she was the first transgender to take admission after the ‘third gender’ option was introduced in forms following orders of the Supreme Court, is planning to have arrangements for separate hostels for transgender students. “The welfare board is in talks with the UT administration so that the transgender students can be provided free education too,”
