A biologically male teenager from Dattapukur on the outskirts of Kolkata was evicted from home for being too effeminate. Subject to routine family violence and exploitation, the child, who identified as a girl, was rescued by the Association of Transgender /Hijras in Bengal (ATHB) in August. ATHB soon realized that there were neither any shelters for transgender children nor any sensitization in the Child Welfare Council regarding the children's sexuality. In the absence of state protection, the teen was sent back home after some parental counseling. The incident is telling of the legal vacuum that marks the life of the transgender community in most parts of India. "In most government...
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