<
https://www.washingtonblade.com/2024/11/22/transgender-activists-celebrate-legal-advances-in-india-pakistan/>
"Transgender activists in India and Pakistan are celebrating two legal advances
in their respective countries.
Akkai Padmashali, an Indian trans activist, made history on Nov. 12 by
obtaining a passport for her 5-year-old child, Avin, without including a
father’s name. As a trans woman and single mother, she set a precedent not only
for the trans community but for all women in the country raising children on
their own.
Padmashali, who is one of India’s most prominent trans activists, in 2019
became the first trans woman in the country to officially adopt a child. A year
earlier, she made history in Karnataka by becoming the first trans woman in the
state to register her marriage with her husband, Vasudev V.
Padmashali expressed her joy to the media when she adopted Avin, stating she
had always dreamed of becoming a mother.
“It has been my dream and desire,” said Padmashali in 2019. “Our families have
accepted the baby. It’s heart-warming to see the little one playing on my
mother’s lap. I just hope that he does not face any kind of discrimination and
social stigma when he grows up.”
In 2019, the same year Avin was born, parliament passed the
Transgender
Persons (Protection of Rights) Act.
The law seeks to safeguard the rights of trans people and promote their
welfare. It includes provisions for issuing identity certificates, protecting
against discrimination in education, employment, healthcare, and other sectors,
and establishing welfare programs. The law also addressed physical, sexual,
verbal, emotional, and economic abuse through protections and rehabilitation
programs, introduced complaint officers to handle grievances, and outlined
penalties for offenses against trans people.
The Narendra Modi-led government on Dec. 23, 2016, amended the passport policy
to accommodate single parents and others who may not wish to include a father’s
name in the application. This move was part of broader efforts to streamline
and liberalize the passport process in India. One significant change was the
modification of the application form, allowing applicants to list either the
mother’s name, father’s name, or legal guardian’s name, instead of requiring
both parents’ names. The change sought to benefit single mothers, orphans, and
children raised by legal guardians."
Via
Fix the News:
https://fixthenews.com/279-breakneck-solarisation/
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
