DOUBLE MARGINALISATION OF TRANS PEOPLE: SHUNNED BY SOCIETY, IGNORED BY GOVERNMENT

There is resentment in the community over being ignored in both State and BBMP Budgets, with little or no allocation being made for their welfare

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Back in 2021, during the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 in Bengaluru, two transgender women, Anandi and Aisha Kousar, had to sell their gold earrings to make a living. The two transwomen eventually bought a pushcart, stove, gas and basic cooking equipment to sell tea and snacks to workers at Hudson Circle, with the determination to take care of their three adopted children.

While Anandi and Aisha were able to start a small business with the small amount of gold they had, many others from the transgender community continue to face significant challenges in accessing basic education, employment opportunities, and support for entrepreneurship, as sustained attention and meaningful welfare measures for sexual minorities from the State government and local bodies remain limited.

Ignored in State Budget

The Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government in March presented its Budget for 2025-26, which had no mention of allocation of funds for the sexual minorities in the State. Right after the Budget, at a press conference, members of the Movement for Gender and Sexual Pluralism (MGSP) voiced strong concerns over the continued marginalisation of gender and sexual minorities. Activists criticised the Chief Minister for “repeatedly overlooking” the needs of their community, despite several appeals for financial allocation and inclusive policy reforms.