Fundamentos destacados. 70. El género autoidentificado puede ser masculino, femenino o un tercer género. Los Hijras se identifican como personas de tercer género y no se identifican ni como hombres ni como mujeres. La identidad de género, como ya se ha indicado, se refiere a la sensación interna de una persona de ser hombre, mujer o transexual; por ejemplo, los hijras no se identifican como mujeres por carecer de genitales femeninos o de capacidad reproductiva. Esta distinción los separa de los géneros masculino y femenino y no se consideran ni hombres ni mujeres, sino un «tercer género». Los hijras, por tanto, pertenecen a un grupo sociorreligioso y cultural distinto y, por lo tanto, deben ser considerados como un «tercer género», aparte del masculino y el femenino. El Estado de Punjab ha tratado todas las personas transgénero son hombres, lo que no es jurídicamente sostenible. El estado de Tamil Nadu ha tomado muchas medidas de bienestar para salvaguardar los derechos de las personas transgénero, algo que debemos reconocer. Algunos estados como Kerala, Tripura y Bihar han calificado a las personas transgénero como «tercer género o sexo». Algunos Estados las reconocen como «tercera categoría». Otros Estados también les han concedido algunas ventajas. Nuestros países vecinos también han defendido sus derechos fundamentales y su derecho a vivir con dignidad.
71. El Tribunal Supremo de Nepal en Sunil Babu Pant & Ors. v. Nepal Government (Writ Petition No.917 of 2007 decided on 21st December, 2007), se pronunció sobre los derechos de los transexuales en los siguientes términos
«los derechos fundamentales comprendidos en la Parte II de la Constitución son derechos humanos fundamentales exigibles garantizados a los ciudadanos frente al Estado. Por esta razón, los derechos fundamentales estipulados en la Parte III son derechos que también corresponden a las personas del tercer sexo como seres humanos. Los homosexuales y las personas del tercer sexo también son seres humanos como los demás hombres y mujeres, y también son ciudadanos de este país….. Por lo tanto, las personas distintas de los «hombres» y las «mujeres», incluidas las personas del «tercer género» no pueden ser discriminadas. El Estado debe reconocer la existencia de todas las personas físicas, incluidas las personas del tercer sexo distintas de los hombres y las mujeres. Y no puede privar a las personas del tercer género del disfrute de los derechos fundamentales previstos en la Parte III de la Constitución.»
72. El Tribunal Supremo de Pakistán en Dr. Mohammad Aslam Khaki & Anr. V. Superintendente Senior de Policía (Operación) Rawalpindi & Ors. (Petición de Constitución No.43 de 2009) decidido el 22(nd) de marzo de 2011, tuvo ocasión de considerar los derechos de los eunucos y sostuvo lo siguiente:-.
«No hace falta observar que los eunucos en su derecho son ciudadanos de este país y sujetos a la Constitución de la República Islámica de Pakistán, 1973, sus derechos, obligaciones incluyendo el derecho a la vida y la dignidad están igualmente protegidos. Por lo tanto, no es posible discriminarlos por ningún motivo en lo que respecta a sus derechos y obligaciones. Los funcionarios del Gobierno, tanto a nivel federal como provincial, están obligados a proteger su vida y sus bienes y a garantizar su dignidad, al igual que se hace con los demás ciudadanos».
73. Podemos recordar la presencia histórica del tercer género en este país, así como en los países vecinos.
74. El artículo 21, como ya se ha indicado, protege el derecho a la autodeterminación del género al que pertenece una persona. La determinación del género al que pertenece una persona debe ser decidida por el propio interesado. En otras palabras, la identidad de género forma parte integrante de la dignidad de una persona y está en el núcleo de la «autonomía personal» y la «autodeterminación». Los hijras/eunucos, por tanto, deben ser considerados como tercer género, por encima de los géneros binarios, según nuestra Constitución y las leyes.
[Traducción de LP]
70. Self-identified gender can be either male or female or a third gender. Hijras are identified as persons of third gender and are not identified either as male or female. Gender identity, as already indicated, refers to a person’s internal sense of being male, female or a transgender, for example Hijras do not identify as female because of their lack of female genitalia or lack of reproductive capability. This distinction makes them separate from both male and female genders and they consider themselves neither man nor woman, but a “third gender”. Hijras, therefore, belong to a distinct socio-religious and cultural group and have, therefore, to be considered as a “third gender”, apart from male and female. State of Punjab has treated all TGs as male which is not legally sustainable. State of Tamil Nadu has taken lot of welfare measures to safeguard the rights of TGs, which we have to acknowledge. Few States like Kerala, Tripura, Bihar have referred TGs as “third gender or sex”. Certain States recognize them as “third category”. Few benefits have also been extended by certain other States. Our neighbouring countries have also upheld their fundamental rights and right to live with dignity.
71. The Supreme Court of Nepal in Sunil Babu Pant & Ors. v. Nepal Government (Writ Petition No.917 of 2007 decided on 21st December, 2007), spoke on the rights of Transgenders as follows:-
“the fundamental rights comprised under Part II of the Constitution are enforceable fundamental human rights guaranteed to the citizens against the State. For this reason, the fundamental rights stipulated in Part III are the rights similarly vested in the third gender people as human beings. The homosexuals and third gender people are also human beings as other men and women are, and they are the citizens of this country as well…. Thus, the people other than ‘men’ and ‘women’, including the people of ‘third gender’ cannot be discriminated. The State should recognize the existence of all natural persons including the people of third gender other than the men and women. And it cannot deprive the people of third gender from enjoying the fundamental rights provided by Part III of the Constitution.”
72. The Supreme Court of Pakistan in Dr. Mohammad Aslam Khaki & Anr. V. Senior Superintendent of Police (Operation) Rawalpindi & Ors. (Constitution Petition No.43 of 2009) decided on 22nd March, 2011, had occasion to consider the rights of eunuchs and held as follows:-
“Needless to observe that eunuchs in their rights are citizens of this country and subject to the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, their rights, obligations including right to life and dignity are equally protected. Thus no discrimination, for any reason, is possible against them as far as their rights and obligations are concerned. The Government functionaries both at federal and provincial levels are bound to provide them protection of life and property and secure their dignity as well, as is done in case of other citizens.”
73. We may remind ourselves of the historical presence of the third gender in this country as well as in the neighbouring countries.
74. Article 21, as already indicated, protects one’s right of self-determination of the gender to which a person belongs. Determination of gender to which a person belongs is to be decided by the person concerned. In other words, gender identity is integral to the dignity of an individual and is at the core of “personal autonomy” and “self-determination”. Hijras/Eunuchs, therefore, have to be considered as Third Gender, over and above binary genders under our Constitution and the laws.
[Idioma original]
REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION
WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) N°.400 OF 2012
National Legal Services Authority …
Petitioner
Versus
Union of India and others …
Respondents
WITH
WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) N°.604 OF 2013
J U D G M E N T
K.S. Radhakrishnan, J.
1. Seldom, our society realizes or cares to realize the trauma, agony and pain which the members of Transgender community undergo, nor appreciates the innate feelings of the members of the Transgender community, especially of those whose mind and body disown their biological sex. Our society often ridicules and abuses the Transgender community and in public places like railway stations, bus stands, schools, workplaces, malls, theatres, hospitals, they are sidelined and treated as untouchables, forgetting the fact that the moral failure lies in the society’s unwillingness to contain or embrace different gender identities and expressions, a mindset which we have to change.
2. We are, in this case, concerned with the grievances of the members of Transgender Community (for short ‘TG community’) who seek a legal declaration of their gender identity than the one assigned to them, male or female, at the time of birth and their prayer is that non-recognition of their gender identity violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India. Hijras/Eunuchs, who also fall in that group, claim legal status as a third gender with all legal and constitutional protection.
3. The National Legal Services Authority, constituted under the Legal Services Authority Act, 1997, to provide free legal services to the weaker and other marginalized sections of the society, has come forward to advocate their cause, by filing Writ Petition No. 400 of 2012. Poojaya Mata Nasib Kaur Ji Women Welfare Society, a registered association, has also preferred Writ Petition No. 604 of 2013, seeking similar reliefs in respect of Kinnar community, a TG community.
4. Laxmi Narayan Tripathy, claimed to be a Hijra, has also got impleaded so as to effectively put across the cause of the members of the transgender community and Tripathy’s life experiences also for recognition of their identity as a third gender, over and above male and female. Tripathy says that non-recognition of the identity of Hijras, a TG community, as a third gender, denies them the right of equality before the law and equal protection of law guaranteed under Article 14 of the Constitution and violates the rights guaranteed to them under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.
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