Transgenders demand free sex reassignment surgery in hospitals

A transgender group here has demanded that at least one government hospital in the state should provide free sex reassignment surgery to the community.

A charter of demands presented by Telangana Hijra Transsex Transgender Samiti (THITS) to the government today also includes job reservations, separate seats in state transport buses and separate burial grounds.

"At least one hospital in Telangana should offer safe and free sex reassignment surgery, counselling and hormone replacement therapy....the hospital must provide medically sound counselling to parents of children with intersex variations so that medical procedures are not forced on these children," the charter says.

Another demand is that a welfare board for the community should be set up, as in Tamil Nadu.

On the demand of separate burial ground in every district, THITS says that trangenders are often not allowed to be buried at regular burial grounds.

It has also demanded implementation of a recent Supreme Court order to provide identity cards and reservations in government jobs to the transgenders.