Transgender Officer Indian Navy Wants To Sack Was Sent To Psychiatric Care After Her Sex Change!

Transgenders were recognised as the third gender in 2014, a year later Rajya Sabha passed a law against abuse, exploitation and for employment of the third gender. We now have a transgender OAS officer, a transgender college principal, a transgender model was headlining Lakme Fashion Week and transgenders are allowed to use any loo they choose. Slowly but surely, things in India are changing for the transgenders, but there is one thing that might deliver a crippling blow to India's attitude towards our transgenders.

An Indian Navy officer is facing termination of service, for undergoing Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS) to become a woman. Sabi, born MK Giri, had joined the Marine Engineering Department of the Indian Navy in in 2010 as an 18-years-old young man. But growing discomfort over sexuality and being felt trapped inside a male body, Giri underwent a sex change surgery in 2016 to become a woman.

Tragically this places India in the same bracket as USA where President Donald Trump's decision to ban transgenders from the US military has been in equal parts condemned and abused.

Indiatimes

The gender-reassignment surgery that Sabi thought would change her life, changed it for the worst. The 25-year-old Navy sailor serving the INS Eksila base of the navy in Visakhapatnam now faces termination from service.

The Navy has begun proceedings to discharge her from service.

Speaking to Indiatimes, Sabi said her Commanding Officer (CO) had sent her papers to the Naval Headquarters in Delhi a month ago and the decision is pending. Sabi said that she was served a show cause notice for undergoing sex change surgery without informing the authorities.

She, however, rejected the allegations and said that the doctors in the Navy had failed to offer any help when she approached them.

"I had told my commanding officer about the trauma I am facing, but I was offered no solution. I also consulted the doctors in the Navy, even they couldn't help me. They suggested me to undergo psychiatric treatment, and nothing beyond that."

Indiatimes

She said there is no provision in the Navy rules regarding transgenders and they are using this excuse to terminate her service. With little support from her seniors, Sabi sought the help of a private psychiatrist who identified that she was having Gender Identity Disorder. In May 2016 she began the process of sex change and underwent the surgery in October.

Days after joining back to duty, Sabi was forced to consult a doctor in Navy after developing a urinary infection, which revealed her sex change.

"They were surprised and was clueless about what to do. They kept me in a psychiatric ward for almost six months, because they had no idea how to go about," Sabi told Indiatimes.

Indiatimes

After her release from the psychiatric ward, Sabi was allowed to resume her service as a woman, but the Navy began the process to terminate her.

Sabi is thankful to her family who was initially shocked to hear her decision, but later on accepted her for who she is. She, however, did not get the same from her colleagues in the navy.

"Most of my colleagues are scared to interact with me as I am facing administrative action. So they don't want to get into the bad books of the officers. Maybe that is why they are reluctant" she said.

Sabi says she is still optimistic and hopes she can continue her passion.

"I was selected from thousands of candidates based on merit. I still can pull a trigger and fight the enemy. So how does my sex change affect what I am doing? I am not a terrorist criminal, I had proudly served the navy for the past seven years. Why should they terminate me now" she asked.

Indiatimes

Sabi also hopes Prime Minister Modi who says his government is 'sab ke saath' will look into her case favourably.

While Sabi is the first such case in the Navy, earlier this year a female CISF personnel who underwent sex change surgery four years ago to marry a woman colleague was officially recognised as male and was permitted to continue service after undergoing multiple medical and physical tests.