In big step for equal rights, TISS gets gender-neutral hostel

By Prarthana Mitra

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) announced on Thursday that a separate hostel wing will be allocated for self-identified transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming students, “in keeping with the principle of inclusion and affirmation of gender diversity.”  The notice also consisted of a timeline for the implementation of this new rule, and provisions for a separate space on the ground floor of hostel IV, which has exclusively been a Girls hostel so far. “Students who wish to apply for rooms in the gender-neutral wing can do so by April 6”, wrote Hostel Warden Nirmal Momin in an official circular.

This victory is just the beginning – TISS’ Queer Collective

TISS’ Queer Collective (QC) that includes non-binary, trans, and queer students across all departments, has been agitating for gender-neutral spaces and facilities in the campus, for their community, over the past year. The gender amity committee has also worked closely with the QC, faculty and TISS administration to facilitate this necessary reshuffling of students’ accommodation.

TISS administrations announced a separate gender-neutral hostel wing for its non-binary students. Credit: TISS source

Chandrasekhar, a postgraduate student in Development Studies, who has been actively involved with the collective told Qrius, ”A general student body meeting last year passed the resolution for gender-neutral hostel spaces and washrooms.” He added that transgender students don’t yet have access to separate washrooms.

More importantly, the QC’s agenda rests on breaking the binaries that exist in terms of ‘male’ and ‘female’ gender constructs, and oppress those who don’t conform to the normative roles. For institutes preaching social justice and instructing social science like TISS, it becomes doubly important to acknowledge the gender diversity among its student community, and allow them a space that recognises their identity.

Providing transgender students with a safe space for habitation and separate washrooms is the first step in acknowledging identities that lie beyond the cishet spectrum. Credit: Twitter/@FeminismInIndia

How can we protect our gender-neutral students’ rights?

In 2015, Prof Karthik Bittu, a transgender faculty at University of Hyderabad, said, “Separate hostels will not solve the purpose as it will result in alienation of transgenders. Already many transgenders do not openly accept their gender identity while applying to universities even though there is a provision for it. Rather, gender-neutral hostels and toilets must be developed.”

Providing transgender students with a safe space for habitation and separate washrooms is the first step in acknowledging identities that lie beyond the cisgendered-heteronormative spectrum. The government must help institutions impress upon their administrative boards, the importance of accommodating a transgender student’s gender identity, especially when granting access to bathrooms or other gender-specified facilities.

The lack of concrete policies in protecting transgender and non-binary rights in Indian educational institutions, has so far, stuck out like a sore thumb. It is also probably why the country has so few transgender students, compared to countries which are more vocal about LGBTQA+ rights. Spokespersons of the QC believes that TISS’ latest directive may bring about a much-needed change, that may lead to more trans students applying this year.