16-year-old dies by suicide after being mocked on gender identity

LUCKNOW: A 16-year-old resident of Subhashnagar in Bareilly district killed themselves on Monday afternoon.

In a suicide note, the class 10 student said that they had the habits of a girl and self-identified as ‘kinnar’.

The youngster also alluded to being mocked on their appearance. Kinnar is an indigenous socio-cultural group in northern India, and comprises those people whose gender identity is woman or transwoman.

According to mental health experts, teenage years are marked by shame surrounding issues of gender and sexuality. The absence of proper sex and gender education in schools also results in bullying and stigmatization.

“Teenagers go through a tough time during puberty and need someone to discuss their issues with specially, if it is linked to their bodies. Schools and parents must make such education mandatory and encourage children to speak about it,” said Mumbai-based psychiatrist Dr Anjali Chhabria, author of ‘Death is not the answer: Understanding suicide and the ways to prevent it’.

“Body shaming has become a common phenomenon in present times which children face while growing up. Parents must be receptive to their children if they speak to them about it,” Surbhi Srivastav, a school counsellor based in Lucknow said. “The boy lost his mother five years ago. His father told us that he used to remain quiet and distant from other family members,” circle officer of Suibhashnagar Seema Yadav said.

The gender identity of the deceased youth is neither boy nor man.

To seek help for depression and other forms of mental distress please reach out to the helplines of International Bipolar Foundation (+91-8888817666) and Jeevan Aastha (toll free: 1800 233 3330).

For issues surrounding gender and sexuality, call LGBT organisation, Pahal Foundation at 8318837081 (operational on Friday to Sunday, from 3pm to 6pm).