India gets first ever gender-neutral hostel in Mumbai

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) has become the first institute in the country to have a gender-neutral hostel, news agency ANI reported.

According to reports, the move followed efforts by Queer Collective, an informal student body that advocates a safe space for LGBTQ students.

Akunth, Cultural Secretary on TISS student Union and a resident of gender-neutral hostel space called for more such hostels and spaces across India. He stated that the hostel is no different from the others, just that it is a gender-neutral space and does not have demarcations on the lines of gender stereotypes.

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"It's just like any other hostel. It is a place for everyone but without the dysphoria of being segregated along the lines of gender. It is a liberal space."

Akunth added that the gender-neutral washrooms are now also available in the campus.

The ground floor of TISS' girlshostel has been marked as a gender-neutral space. The floor has 10 twin-seater rooms that will host transgenders, or gender non-conforming students.

The Supreme Court of India, in its historic verdict, on September 6 decided to decriminalise homosexuality in the country.

(With inputs from ANI)