New Delhi, March 27 (NationPress) The recently introduced Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Bill has sparked varied responses from leaders within the transgender community. One leader commended the government’s initiative to "protect original TG," while another criticized the administration for infringing upon their rights to self-identification.

This Bill has successfully passed through both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, and is now pending the President’s approval.

Hemangi Sakhi Ma, the nation’s first transgender Shankaracharya, has voiced her support for the Bill.

She remarked, "In my opinion, the government has passed this Bill to safeguard the interests of original TGs (transgenders). The transgender community should not fear this legislation as it has been implemented for our protection."

She further stated, "Often, individuals who are not truly transgender claim to be so and create IDs. This makes it challenging for genuine individuals like us to obtain TG identification cards or certificates. Therefore, the government’s actions are commendable."

In contrast, transgender rights advocate Laxmi Narayan Tripathi expressed her strong opposition to the Bill.

She commented, "I had hoped that the government would introduce a more progressive transgender Bill or amendment in the future, granting us additional rights. Instead, this administration has stripped away many of our existing rights. The transgender community already faces numerous challenges."

Tripathi accused the government of neglecting the welfare of transgender individuals.

"Are they considering our employment opportunities? No. Are they addressing our educational needs? No. Are they taking our healthcare into account? No. Moreover, there is a lack of focus on our social acceptance," she stated.

Tripathi lamented, "This Bill has regressed us by two decades. It appears as if the government wants to erase our existence. Will we be subjected to identity tests conducted by a medical officer? Gender is an intensely personal aspect of one’s identity. How can someone else determine my gender? Who grants them the authority?"

She also claimed that the community was excluded from the decision-making process, stating, "Trans women, trans men, non-binary, and gender-fluid children have all been left out of this conversation."

"We are having our rights stripped away. You cannot revoke our fundamental rights, which are guaranteed by the Constitution. We are prepared to fight relentlessly to reclaim our rights," Tripathi emphasized.

Importantly, the Bill excludes individuals with "self-perceived gender identities" from its definition of a "transgender person."