gender issues in sanitation

passed a law to repeal its controversial bathroom bill

US dithers but India aids third gender with bathroom bill

NEW DELHI: The Centre has pushed for allowing members from the third-gender to use washrooms meant for both men or women in community and public toilets. The sanitation ministry has issued this advisory to all state governments in its latest circular on the guidelines onThe circular issued on Monday said, “In many communities, the third gender may often be dissociated from the main stream Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) should make a conscious effort that they are recognized as equal citizens and users of toilets.They should be allowed to use the facility of their choice (men or women) in community or public toilets.“This move comes on a day when North Carolina in the US reluctantly, which required transgenders to use toilets corresponding to the sex on their birth certificate. It had also blocked cities and counties from passing protections for people from LGBT community. Despite the changes, there are criticism that still some portions of the Bill allows discrimination against people from trangenders community. Last week, the law makers of New Carolina had reached the compromise to repeal many provisions of the law, known as House Bill 2.The deal prohibits local communities from passing any anti-discrimination ordinances for at least three years.According to the sanitation ministry's circular, many from the third-gender group have emerged as the champions of government's Swachhta drive. “Wherever suitable, their support can be enlisted in engaging communities, and their efforts duly recognised and honoured to break any stigma around them and also to enable them to use facilities without any embarrassment,“ the circular said.This is not the first time when the government has talked of “inclusivity“ to ensure that people from all genders are respected so far as availing public services and facilities are concerned. The urban development ministry had enacted the Real Estate Regulation law, which has “non-discriminatory“ clause to allow anyone to buy a property in a complex including by a third-gender.Meanwhile, the rural sanitation ministry has asked states to ensure that at least 50% of the members in Village Water and Sanitation Committees are women.