Dhananjay Chauhan (L) successfully campaigned for Panjab University to build toilets for trans students. Photo: Vagabomb
After relentless campaigning from its first trans students, Panjab University, will build restrooms just for transgender students.
Located in the northern state, Chandigarh, the university was one of the first to include a ‘third gender’ option on enrolment forms.
The university has started building the restrooms which will cost about $1500 in total.
Dhananjay Chauhan was Panjab University’s first trans student and she has been pushing for trans restrooms since 2014.
She told Gaylaxy it took a long time for students to become used to her presence at the university, but now she is well known and liked.
Despite facing challenges as a trans woman, Chauhan, is a busy activist involving herself on all aspects of university life.
She even organized Chandigarh’s first pride march last year.
‘It was very tough convincing and explaining the local authorities about LGBTs and their rights,’ she told Ghaint Punjab.
‘When we had to set up a stage in sector 17 we had to go through a lot as the municipal authorities didn’t give us the permission to do so.
‘But after a lot of efforts, we organised the first pride walk from the student centre of Panjab University to the Sector 17 plaza.’
