Legally Invisible

An article written during the pendency of the landmark transgender rights case in the Supreme Court, analysing Right to Information application requests to all states in India regarding the policies and welfare schemes established for transgender, gay and lesbian persons (gender non-conforming sexual minority groups). The RTIs asked simple questions from the state government departments: (i) What are the welfare schemes for transgenders and hijras in the state? (ii) What are the welfare schemes for sexual minorities in the state? (iii) What are the laws and policies for transgenders and hijras in the state? (iv) What are the laws and policies for sexual minorities in the state? (v) How many transgenders and hijra population is there in the state? and (vi) Do government hospitals offer free or subsidized sex reassignment services?