Indian Navy sailor in Vizag sacked for undergoing gender reassignment surgery

The sailor, Sabi Giri, was discharged for breaching navy rules and eligibility criteria.

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An Indian navy sailor posted in Visakhapatnam has been sacked by the government for undergoing a gender reassignment surgery while on leave.

The News Minute has earlier spoken to the sailor, Sabi Giri, about the trauma she underwent for affirming her gender.

Narrating her ordeal, she told TNM, “Maybe they were trying to find a reason to fire me by proving that I was mentally unstable. It was very difficult there. I felt depressed and kept getting headaches. They put me on medication, and I took it because they told me it was for the headaches I got. But I didn’t seem to be getting better, nor did I understand why I was there.”

A press release from the Press Information Bureau's Defence Wing read that the Navy has discharged the sailor “evoking the clause of Service No Longer Required under the Navy Regulations.”

Stating that the sailor, who underwent a “sex reassignment surgery at a private facility whilst on leave was administratively discharged from the Service,” the statement said that present regulations do not permit her employment.

“The Individual chose to undergo irreversible gender re-assignment surgery on his own accord, whilst on leave wilfully altering his gender status from the one he was recruited for at the time of his induction,” the release said. This, the navy states, is a breach of Recruitment Regulations and eligibility criteria for employment as a sailor in the Indian Navy.

According to India Today, the process to discharge her from service was initiated in August this year. The call was taken in consultation with the Ministry of Defence.

Giri may not be eligible for a pension as per Defence rules.

Read the entire story here.

Navy sailor Manish Kumar Giri who underwent sex reassignment surgery while on leave, stands discharged from service. Complicated, sad case. pic.twitter.com/MxtLnvf61n

— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) October 9, 2017