India's Supreme Court recognised
transgender people as a third gender in a legal landmark
Tuesday.
The court granted a raft of basic rights to those who
identify themselves as neither male nor female
"It is the right of every human being to choose their
gender," it said.
The court ordered the government to provide transgender
people with quotas in jobs and education like those for other
minorities.
Special amenities should also be laid on, it said.
India is estimated to have some two million transgender
people.
'Hijra' is a common term used to describe transgender
people, transsexuals, cross-dressers, eunuchs and transvestites.
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