Denied a Job in Air India, Transgender Woman Seeks Mercy Killing

Shanavi Ponnusamy, who was born male but underwent gender reassignment surgery, unsuccessfully approached the apex court of India demanding compensation after she was allegedly denied appointment by Air India, despite clearing the tests and subsequent training for ground duty at Chennai Airport.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — Shanavi Ponnusamy, an Indian transgender woman who claims to have been denied a job by the country's national carrier Air India due to her non-binary sexuality, has sought the President's permission to end her life. The news has triggered a huge controversy, with the All-India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) blaming the government for her frustration.

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The organization has described Air India's treatment of the transgender woman as "discriminatory and inhuman" and has called on them to reconsideration the decision.

They said we don't have category for trans-women. But, do I get discount on taxes? I have to pay that, right?I have qualification & experience, is it about my gender?: Shanavi, transgender who alleges Air India refused job due to her gender on her letter to Pres for mercy-killing pic.twitter.com/11WDIIAfy1

— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2018

"Here you have a bright young girl looking forward to live her life with dignity and you are denying her basic rights, forcing her to think of ending the life," AIDWA General Secretary Annie Raja told Sputnik.

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Shanavi told the Indian news agency ANI that she was told by the airlines last August that she was being rejected because of her gender.  On Tuesday, she approached the President of India Ram Nath Kovind seeking mercy killing, according to local reports.

Didn't try for another airline because if govt airline says there is no category for you, what can we expect from pvt airlines? Now if I live or die is in hands of Pres: Shanavi, transgender who alleges Air India refused job due to her gender on letter to Pres for mercy-killing pic.twitter.com/QEKuBeAvan

— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2018

Shanavi reportedly hails from a poor family in Tiruchendur in the Thoothukkudi district of Tamil Nadu. She graduated as an electronics and communication engineer in 2010. She underwent gender reorientation surgery in 2014 when she was 25 years old.