I have a Masters degree and a B.Ed, but Uma Devi Children’s Academy, a private school in Lakhimpur Kheri, thought my identity as a trans woman would overshadow all of my professional credentials. 

“Don’t reveal your transgender identity to the school’s staff members and our students, and you can have the job,” is basically what they said to me, after I had cleared three rounds of interviews and assessments for the post of TGT Social Studies. 

My financial situation meant that I had to make this compromise. But the week that followed was akin to a serious mental trauma that I’m finding hard to put behind me. 

The school could have leveraged my appointment as an opportunity to sensitise young minds about the rights of transgender people. Instead, they asked me to not reveal my identity. This obviously goes against the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. 

But I couldn’t conceal my body. Students would openly mock me – their teacher – calling me hijra while passing by in the corridors. I’d try and not take it to heart, but instead, create a safe space where I could educate and sensitise them about transgender people, how we’re not ‘aliens’ but regular folks who deserve respect and decency.

I couldn’t make much of a difference. When I tried to reason with one such student and in the process, revealed my identity as a transgender woman to her, word got out. The Principal accosted me for betraying the promise I had made during my appointment. I pleaded with the administration to let me teach. I needed the job. But they didn’t listen. I was asked to vacate the hostel the same day. On 3rd December, at around 9 pm, from a desolate bus stop in Lakhimpur Kheri, I boarded a bus and came back to Delhi. It took the school just a week to dismiss me for my gender identity. 

Two days later, the school sent me a formal termination notice. In the letter, which is still dated 3rd December, they claim to have terminated me because I wasn’t a good social science teacher.

“During your service period with us we found you facing challenges everyday with the main subject, Since we require a major Social Science teacher and board classes are to be allocated, We can’t take risk, so we are relieving you from this post and would love you see you back in the school once we require core English Language teacher,” the letter reads. 

I earned the position by qualifying through three rounds of interviews, and in one week, the school suddenly realised I wasn’t good enough. Of course, their bigoted statements asking me to not disclose my gender identity to the school's staff, weren’t there in the appointment letter. These were verbal utterances which they wouldn’t dare put on paper. 

In the past, I’ve approached the Delhi Subordinate Services Selection Board, asking them to add ‘transgender’ as an option to all their online job application forms, and was successful. As a social worker, I’ve extensively worked for the rights of transgender people and have routinely gone to court to fight for social justice. More importantly, I’ve a Masters in English plus a B.Ed with specialisation in teaching social science. And yet, “I wasn’t good enough” to hold a job as TGT Social Science at Uma Devi Children’s Academy, Lakhimpur Kheri for more than a week! 

For redressal, I demand that the school immediately reinstate me as TGT Social Science. The administration should also sensitise their staff and senior students about the rights of transgender people, and also set up a proper complaint mechanism that could support transgender teachers and children on the campus. 

I urge you to sign this petition and help me set a precedent, so that together we can ensure that in the India of the 21st century, transgender people don’t have to fight for their most basic rights.