India court recognises transgender people as third gender

[SilverGirl]

BBC News | India court recognises transgender people as third gender

India's Supreme Court has recognised transgender people as a third gender, in a landmark ruling.

"It is the right of every human being to choose their gender," it said in granting rights to those who identify themselves as neither male nor female.

It ordered the government to provide transgender people with quotas in jobs and education in line with other minorities, as well as key amenities.

According to one estimate, India has about two million transgender people.

In India, a common term used to describe transgender people, transsexuals, cross-dressers, eunuchs and ->-bleeped-<-s is hijra.

sounds like a huge step forward after the previous homophobic laws, maybe it can even turn over that previous anti-gay law, i hope that this can also help transpeople get better rights in other asian countries and the middle east