With its most recent campaign supporting trans inclusiveness, an international coffee house chain in India, Starbucks, has sparked off controversy and fueled the current discussion around LGBTQI++ rights in India.

The ad shows that Arpita, a transgender woman, meets her parents for the first time in a long time and is initially wary, but her parents eventually embrace her for who she is. Even in the 21st century, the transgender population endures hostility, violence and inhumanity.

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They also have trouble finishing school, finding work and are often even refused access to essential medical treatment. “The transgender community has a high prevalence of HIV infection and other STIs such as syphilis and gonococcal infection.

Other issues include alcohol consumption and drug abuse. Unfortunately, very few of them get treated at HIV and STI clinics, mostly due to ignorance and taboo associated with these diseases,” said Dr Shagufta Yasmin, a Kolkata-based physician.

The fundamental convictions of gender or the gender binary paradigm, where people are labelled as ‘female’ or ‘male’, permeates all spheres of society. Throwing a wrench in this method of monopolising society, trans, intersex and non-binary people have been asking for basic human rights since time immemorial.

In the ongoing matter of same-sex marriage, CJI DY Chandrachud said there was no absolute concept of man or woman and the postulation was far more complex than categorising a person according to the born-with genitals.

“When everybody was inside their homes during the Covid-19, we were outside, striving to help the infected, irrespective of gender,” said Susanta, HR head of Kolkata Rista, a trans-based NGO with its roots in Kolkata, which addresses health issues, particularly HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention.

The NGO also offers mental health counselling to people who have trouble coming out of the closet. Anyone who wishes to share problems relating to crisis, gender dysphoria, acceptance and suicidal thoughts/ attempts, can use their helpline number — 8334844995/6. “There are a lot of misconceptions relating to intersex people, thanks to television shows.

An intersex person is not necessarily a Hijra; choosing to be a Hijra is opting for a mode of occupation. Also, no intersex or trans organisation can forcibly take away an intersex child just because of their orientation”, said mental health counsellor Heena