TISS Mumbai to give India its first hostel for transgenders
What's the story
In a first in India, Mumbai's Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is introducing a gender-neutral hostel space on campus for students from the upcoming academic year.
The ground floor of a girls hostel will serve as a dedicated space to accommodate MA students who identify themselves as transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming adults.
The institute issued a notification on Thursday asking interested second-year students to apply.
Here's more.
Details
20 rooms available primarily for second year MA students
According to Indian Express, rooms on the ground floor of Hostel IV, which can house 20 students, will be allotted on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Though the administration has currently sought applications only from second-year students, it intends to reserve a few rooms for first-year students.
Also, depending on the demand, the number of rooms might be increased.
The struggle
It took students a year to get administration on board
This move towards gender inclusivity on campus is the result of a year-long sustained campaign by the TISS Queer Collective (QC), an informal student organization.
"We had to convince/mobilize students and teachers about the necessity of a gender-neutral hostel," Sai Tejo, a second-year student member of the QC told IE.
Along with a gender-fluid hostel, students have also been demanding gender-neutral toilets on campus.
A pioneer
TISS gives students the option of using gender-neutral salutation 'Mx'
Earlier this year, TISS also became the first Indian institute to give students the choice to use gender-neutral salutation 'Mx' in their graduating certificates.
Students can now choose from Ms., Mr., Mrs. and Mx. honorifics.
Students are hoping to expand the scope of the gender-neutral hostel and make it accessible to their peers beyond postgraduate courses.