Tamil Nadu mulls gender-neutral public toilets for trans people

CHENNAI: There are several references in movies and literature – both comic and tragic – about transgender characters searching desperately for toilets to relieve themselves. Such things, in reality, may soon become a thing of the past as the Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department has initiated discussions to convert some of the existing toilets into gender-neutral toilets, albeit after the prodding of the Madras High Court.

According to official sources, department secretary D Karthikeyan met with officials of Greater Chennai Corporation and other departments on Tuesday to resolve practical difficulties in announcing gender-neutral toilets for transpersons. "The GCC has already set up inclusive toilets on Marina Beach for the benefit of differently-abled. These toilets will be near men's and women's toilets. It was suggested at the meeting to retrofit toilets for diff-abled so that transpersons can also use the facility," a department source said.

The Madras High Court is hearing a writ petition seeking gender-neutral toilets in public places, schools, colleges, railway stations, bus stands, government officers, restaurants and other places across the State.

A GCC official said the civic body contemplates converting at least one public toilet as gender-neutral in each locality. "Conversion of existing toilets may not be possible. However, in the case of inclusive toilets (for diff-abled), we notice only a footfall of 10 or less per day. So converting these as gender neutral is easier," the official opined.

However, the officials are concerned about whether the differently-abled will accept the initiative to convert inclusive toilets into gender-neutral. "The secretary has given instructions to discuss the proposal with the Department of Social Welfare. For now, we do not have any guidelines from the central or state governments on the subject. This is a new thing altogether for us," the official added.

The Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) has already provided separate toilets for transpersons at Kalaignar Centenary Bus Terminus (KCBT) in Kilambakkam, while a similar facility is getting ready at the under-construction bus terminus in Kuthambakkam.