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After Push From A Student, Panjab University Is Building Toilets For Transgender Persons

It's a first in India.
Mansi Thapliyal / Reuters

In a monumental move, a transgender rights activist who is studying Master's of Human Rights and Duties at the Panjab University, has pushed the university to build separate toilets for transgender students of the university.

The Gaylaxy magazine reported that Dhananjay Chauhan was promised by the university that they would build washrooms for transgender students and had sanctioned ₹23 lakhs to build these toilets. The construction of toilets began a year after the money was sanctioned.

The Panjab University had in 2015 introduced a third column in their applications and forms for transgenders.

According the Gaylaxy magazine Chauhan has been fighting for separate washrooms for transgender persons since 2014 and the decision to build separate toilets came after much negotiation by Chauhan with the university authorities.

This comes days after the Centre had announced that transgender persons could use public toilet facilities of their choice. The step was to promote greater inclusivity.

The circular had said, "In many communities, the third gender may often be dissociated from the main stream Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) should make a conscious effort that they are recognized as equal citizens and users of toilets. They should be allowed to use the facility of their choice (men or women) in community or public toilets."

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