Official Communications From India WDI

India WDI has submitted a formal communication to the following departments against a petition that seeks higher and professional educational institutions to allot hostels to students on the basis of their “gender identity” instead of biological sex. The hearing is expected on the 6th of June this year. You can read more about it in this blog.

  • Department of Women & Child Development,
  • Higher Education Department of the State of Karnataka,
  • Directorate of Medical Education,
  • The University Grants Commission,
  • National Medical Commission.

The Chief Minister of Karnataka, Union Minister of Education and the Cabinet Minister for Health, Family and Welfare were copied in the emails.

Following are the key points we touched upon:

  • The conflation of ‘sex’ and ‘gender’
  • Problems with NALSA v Union of India (2014), the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020
  • Violation of the Right to Privacy of Women
  • Women’s rights to Safety and Access to Education
  • Ignorance of Examples of Male Violence in Women-only Spaces
  • Use of False Language

Conclusion:

We argue that the case of the petitioner is untenable against the rights of women to privacy, safety, and access to education. The question of replacement of sex with “gender identity” cannot be addressed without taking into account the concerns of women who stand to lose their rights. We hope that you would incorporate our concerns as you respond to the petitioner later this year. WDI India will be happy to offer feedback and present a case for women’s sex-based rights going forward.

You can read the 6 page document in this link.

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