Two transgenders in Telangana, who completed their MBBS courses while overcoming challenges in their personal life, have created history by becoming the first transgender doctors to join government service in the state.
Prachi Rathod and Ruth John Paul recently joined the state-run Osmania General Hospital (OGH) as medical officers, PTI reported. Rathod completed her MBBS in 2015 from a medical college in Adilabad but was removed from the job by a super-speciality hospital in the city because of gender.
Stigma and discrimination
While recounting the social stigma and discrimination that had to be endured since childhood, Rathod said, "The stigma and discrimination would never go despite all your achievements." Rathod had gone to Delhi to pursue post-graduation but had to return to Hyderabad due to the unfavourable environment. However, Rathod did a diploma in emergency medicine while working in a hospital in Telangana, PTI reported.
Rathod worked in a super-speciality hospital in the city for three years but was removed from the job due to gender as the hospital felt it might hamper the patient flow. A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) came to the rescue and Rathod worked in a clinic run by the NGO and later secured a job in the OGH, as per PTI.
Though she dreamt of becoming a doctor while growing up, her immediate concern during Class XI and XII was overcoming the harassment and bullying from other students. "It was actually a bad teenage time. More than thinking about becoming a doctor, the bigger issue was how to survive in life and how to overcome all these," Rathod said.
Need for reservation
Reflecting on the problems faced by the transgenders, Rathod said certain reservations in jobs and education would help the community to come up in life. Like minorities are considered for affirmative action, "sexual minorities" should be considered for encouraging them.
"When you have categorised us as the third gender, I just want to ask the government or the person who differentiated us (as to) who is the first gender and who is the second gender," the doctor said, as per PTI. The other transgender doctor Ruth John Paul could not be reached immediately.
