Kasturba Medical College Takes Steps Towards Building Trans-Inclusive Campus

Dean, Dr. Sharath Kumar, announced this plan at the Transcare Campus Connect event held recently.s

These changes are being implemented in view of the recent verdicts from the Madras High Court, Kerala High Court, and a directive from the National Medical Commission which has directed medical teaching institutes to create inclusive teaching material in medical education. Authorities have highlighted how the current medical curriculum has content that is derogatory to the LGBTQIA+ community.

The Transcare Campus Connect event was organised in partnership with the TransCare MedEd team which works on creating a transgender-affirmative health provision. A booklet titled 'Colours Among Us' was also released in the event by Dr Rao. The booklet is available online sangath.in/transcare-resources.

"The medical curriculum does not equip students to provide sensitive care to transgender persons. In fact, it desensitizes them, and many doctors currently provide care that is colored by discrimination, stigma, and abuse," said Dr Kirtana R Nayak, chief organizer of the event and Head of the Department of Medical Education, KMC Manipal.

In conversation with NDTV, Dr. Sharath Kumar Rao highlighted how institutes like KMC Manipal and university campuses such as MAHE must set the example for others and said, "If not now, when? If not us, who?" He spoke about the efforts taken by the institute in disability inclusion and that a similar initiative will be taken towards trans inclusion through consultations and dialogue in a time-bound manner.

Trans-Activist and Community Medicine Specialist, Dr. Aqsa Shaikh, has further highlighted the need for such inclusivity in an educational environment, "Unfortunately, parents often become the enemy of the child. Gender is often forced on a child based on their sex assigned at birth. Parents need to talk about gender with their children. Campuses need to enable conversations and inclusion."