Sailor who changed sex fired from Navy

ACCORDING TO A NAVY SPOKESPERSON, MANISH K GIRI WAS DISCHARGED THROUGH EVOCATION OF THE ‘SERVICE NO LONGER REQUIRED’ CLAUSE

HYDERABAD: A 25-year-old Indian Navy sailor from Visakhapatnam was sacked for “breaching recruitment regulations and eligibility criteria” on Monday, a year after undergoing sex-reassignment surgery to become a woman.

According to commander CG Raju, spokesperson of the Eastern Naval Command, Manish K Giri was discharged from service through the evocation of the “service no longer required” clause under Navy regulations. The reason for the dismissal: The sailor secretly underwent sex-reassignment surgery at a private facility whilst on leave.

“He chose to undergo irreversible gender re-assignment on his own accord, wilfully altering his gender status from the one he was recruited for at the time of his induction. He has, therefore, breached recruitment regulations... in the Indian Navy,” Raju said, adding that existing service rules and regulations stipulate the sacking of sailors who undergo alterations in “gender status or medical condition”.

Giri, who now prefers to be referred to as Sabi instead of Manish, said, “How can they discharge me because I underwent sex change? I remain the same old person with the same potential and efficiency. I can perform my duties as efficiently as any male sailor. How can they say that I am not fit to do a sailor’s job?”

The sailor said she would explore every legal option. “I will fight till I get justice. I am consulting my lawyers, and will move court soon,” she added.