Have you been misgendered on the basis of your clothes?

Have you ever felt unsafe or been stared at in the washroom?

Have you had to hold your pee, because using the assigned toilet makes you uncomfortable? 

Unfortunately, a lot of trans* folks go through this on a daily basis. When I began working with the trans community in Assam, I found out that my washroom experience is replicated in every trans person’s experience. From being perceived as a threat, to being threatened, the washroom is a space of utmost discomfort for most trans* folks. This has resulted in a higher rate of dropouts in the transgender community. 

I am Rituparna, a queer rights activist, storyteller and change leader from Assam, a state in north eastern India. I am the Founder and Director at Akam Foundation working on education and gender justice. I has been actively mobilising and organising the queer community in Assam with a focus on rural areas and small towns working towards making spaces gender-neutral.

Due to the binary division of toilets in institutions, trans* folks also face discrimination when asked to use a toilet based on the gender assigned at their birth. There have also been situations where we have had to hold our pee for the entire day due to avoid such undignified treatment. A gender-neutral toilet is not completely unheard of either. Recently Tezpur Central University initiated a gender-neutral washroom in the building of the Department of Social Work. Then why can’t we incorporate them in our educational spaces too?

This will not require a big shift in infrastructure but will require a shift in mindsets for sure. We need to sensitize the staff, faculty, and students in these spaces about gender and sexuality. When people understand the nuances of gender politics, they will better understand the predicament trans* folks face in using the toilet. 

Sign my petition if you believe educational institutions should have gender-neutral washrooms. Together we can create a safe and equal society for the trans*folks.