A federal court in Australia on Friday (Aug 23) ruled in favour of a transgender woman who was booted out of a women-only app, in a landmark case that looked into the crucial question of who is a woman. The judge ordered the Giggle app and its founder to pay $10,000 for gender discrimination suffered by Roxanne Tickle.&nbsp;

"The indirect discrimination cases succeeded because Ms Tickle was excluded from the use of the Giggle app because she did not look sufficiently female according to the respondents," Justice Robert Bromwich said in the ruling.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/musks-trans-daughter-retorts-back-after-he-calls-her-dead-says-tesla-owner-was-cold-cruel-744275">Musk’s trans daughter retorts back after he calls her 'dead', says Tesla owner was 'cold, cruel'</a>

"The acceptance that Ms Tickle is correctly described as a woman, reinforcing her gender-identity status for the purposes of this proceeding, and therefore for the purposes of bringing her present claim of gender identity discrimination, is legally unimpeachable," said the judge.

<h2>What is the Roxanne Tickle case?</h2>

Roxanne Tickle, who was born a man and identifies as a woman, was initially allowed to join the Giggle for Girls app, advertised as a safe space for women to communicate with other women. But she was blocked and her membership, given in February 2021, was revoked in September 2021. A long legal battle followed, during the course of which Giggle founder Sall Grover referred to Tickle as a man in court,&nbsp;social media posts and even during&nbsp;media appearances.

Tickle told the court that she had undergone gender-affirming surgery and hormone treatments, identified as a woman to family, friends and employers, and used women's change rooms and shops, SBS News reported. She also had a birth certificate listing her as female.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-ben-affleck-jennifer-garners-daughter-comes-out-as-trans-at-grandfathers-memorial-service-709925">Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner's daughter comes out as trans at grandfather's memorial service</a>

The judge ruled that Tickle's ban amounted to "unlawful discrimination."

After the ruling, Tickle told reporters that it showed all women are protected from discrimination, adding,&nbsp;"I brought my case to show trans people that you can be brave and that you can stand up for yourself."

She said the last three years of her life were lost due to the case, adding, "I know that I can now get on with the rest of my life ... and put all of this horribleness behind me."

Watch:&nbsp;US House passes bill banning transgender students from women's sports

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"A small group of people have taken it upon themselves to declare that I am not who I know I am, and they have set about making my life miserable," Tickle said, adding, "This case, and the unlawful and discriminatory exclusion from the Giggle app, has stolen the last three years of my life."

"I've been bursting into tears at different moments because I knew soon this would all be over," she said.

<h2>Why is the 'who is a woman' case in Australia significant?</h2>

This is the first time that an Australian court entered into the debate on discrimination based on gender identity and the fundamental question of who is a woman.

In the judgement,&nbsp;Justice Bromwich said the defendants "considered sex to mean the sex of a person at birth, which they consider to be unchangeable," Australia Broadcasting Corporation said in a report.

"These arguments failed because the view propounded by the respondents conflicted with a long history of cases decided by courts going back over 30 years. Those cases establish that in its ordinary meaning, sex is changeable," he ruled.

Speaking after the hearing, which had seen heated exchanges, Giggle app founder Sall Grover said, "Unfortunately it is the judgement we anticipated and the fight for women's rights in Australia continues."

Grover was accused during the case of misgendering Tickle as a man in media interviews and social media posts to her 93,000 online followers, SBS reported.

(With inputs from agencies)

A federal court in Australia on Friday (Aug 23) ruled in favour of a transgender woman who was booted out of a women-only app, in a landmark case that looked into the crucial question of who is a woman.

A federal court in Australia on Friday (Aug 23) ruled in favour of a transgender woman who was booted out of a women-only app, in a landmark case that looked into the crucial question of who is a woman. The judge ordered the Giggle app and its founder to pay $10,000 for gender discrimination suffered by Roxanne Tickle. "The indirect discrimination cases succeeded because Ms Tickle was excluded from the use of the Giggle app because she did not look sufficiently female according to the respondents," Justice Robert Bromwich said in the ruling. Also read: Musk’s trans daughter retorts back after he calls her 'dead', says Tesla owner was 'cold, cruel' "The acceptance that Ms Tickle is correctly described as a woman, reinforcing her gender-identity status for the purposes of this proceeding, and therefore for the purposes of bringing her present claim of gender identity discrimination, is legally unimpeachable," said the judge. What is the Roxanne Tickle case? Roxanne Tickle, who was born a man and identifies as a woman, was initially allowed to join the Giggle for Girls app, advertised as a safe space for women to communicate with other women. But she was blocked and her membership, given in February 2021, was revoked in September 2021. A long legal battle followed, during the course of which Giggle founder Sall Grover referred to Tickle as a man in court, social media posts and even during media appearances. Tickle told the court that she had undergone gender-affirming surgery and hormone treatments, identified as a woman to family, friends and employers, and used women's change rooms and shops, SBS News reported. She also had a birth certificate listing her as female. Also read: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garner's daughter comes out as trans at grandfather's memorial service The judge ruled that Tickle's ban amounted to "unlawful discrimination." After the ruling, Tickle told reporters that it showed all women are protected from discrimination, adding, "I brought my case to show trans people that you can be brave and that you can stand up for yourself." She said the last three years of her life were lost due to the case, adding, "I know that I can now get on with the rest of my life ... and put all of this horribleness behind me." Watch: US House passes bill banning transgender students from women's sports × "A small group of people have taken it upon themselves to declare that I am not who I know I am, and they have set about making my life miserable," Tickle said, adding, "This case, and the unlawful and discriminatory exclusion from the Giggle app, has stolen the last three years of my life." "I've been bursting into tears at different moments because I knew soon this would all be over," she said. Why is the 'who is a woman' case in Australia significant? This is the first time that an Australian court entered into the debate on discrimination based on gender identity and the fundamental question of who is a woman. In the judgement, Justice Bromwich said the defendants "considered sex to mean the sex of a person at birth, which they consider to be unchangeable," Australia Broadcasting Corporation said in a report. "These arguments failed because the view propounded by the respondents conflicted with a long history of cases decided by courts going back over 30 years. Those cases establish that in its ordinary meaning, sex is changeable," he ruled. Speaking after the hearing, which had seen heated exchanges, Giggle app founder Sall Grover said, "Unfortunately it is the judgement we anticipated and the fight for women's rights in Australia continues." Grover was accused during the case of misgendering Tickle as a man in media interviews and social media posts to her 93,000 online followers, SBS reported. (With inputs from agencies)

Roxanne Tickle wins landmark 'who is a woman' case in Australia after being booted out of app

US President Joe Biden has signed an order that lifts the Pentagon's ban on transgender people serving in the military. It had been put in place by the Trump administration.

This move by Biden administration fulfils a campaign promise and will be cheered by LGBTQ advocates.

In 2016, then-President Barack Obama allowed transgender people to join the military and to receive medical treatment to transition to the gender with which they identity. 
 
Trump banned recruitment of transgender people but allowed those already in the military to continue serving.

“Today, I repealed the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving in the military. It’s simple: America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride,” Biden tweeted.

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Today, I repealed the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving in the military. It’s simple: America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride.
— President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1353757273114472449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2021</a></blockquote>
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When Trump announced the ban in 2017 on Twitter, he said the military needed to focus on "decisive and overwhelming victory" without being burdened by the "tremendous medical costs and disruption" of having transgender personnel.

A November 2020 report by the LGBT-rights think tank the Palm Center co-written by former military Surgeons General said the transgender ban had hurt military readiness.

During his confirmation hearing, Biden's pick to lead the Pentagon, Retired Army General Lloyd Austin, said he supported overturning the ban.

The US Supreme Court ruled that the Trump transgender policy of 2019 could stand while it faces separate lawsuits in lower courts.

About 1.3 million active personnel serve in the US military, Department of Defense data shows. There are no official figures on the number of trans members but the Rand Corp, a US policy research institute, estimated in 2016 about 2,450 active service members were transgender.

'Counting down to this day'

While advocates applaud Biden's move, the fact that any president can decide whether transgender people can serve in the military is problematic, they say. Any American who is fit and able should have the right to serve, they argue.

"We must make sure that future presidents do not backslide on our values of equality and inclusion, and I intend to add a provision to this year's defense policy bill to secure a permanent policy of nondiscrimination for our armed forces," said Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Chair of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee.

Nic Talbott, a transgender man, was forced to drop out of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) due to Trump's ban. On Monday, he said Biden's move had given him and other transgender people an opportunity to once again join the military.

"This is such a huge relief, such a huge weight off my shoulders," Talbott said.

"I know there are thousands of other people out there just like me who have been counting down to this day, waiting to be able to start our careers and start our lives."

Once the order is implemented, Talbott said he plans to enter another ROTC.

(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden has signed an order that lifts the Pentagon's ban on transgender people serving in the military. It had been put in place by the Trump administration.

US President Joe Biden has signed an order that lifts the Pentagon's ban on transgender people serving in the military. It had been put in place by the Trump administration. This move by Biden administration fulfils a campaign promise and will be cheered by LGBTQ advocates. In 2016, then-President Barack Obama allowed transgender people to join the military and to receive medical treatment to transition to the gender with which they identity. Trump banned recruitment of transgender people but allowed those already in the military to continue serving. “Today, I repealed the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving in the military. It’s simple: America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride,” Biden tweeted. Today, I repealed the discriminatory ban on transgender people serving in the military. It’s simple: America is safer when everyone qualified to serve can do so openly and with pride. — President Biden (@POTUS) January 25, 2021 × When Trump announced the ban in 2017 on Twitter, he said the military needed to focus on "decisive and overwhelming victory" without being burdened by the "tremendous medical costs and disruption" of having transgender personnel. A November 2020 report by the LGBT-rights think tank the Palm Center co-written by former military Surgeons General said the transgender ban had hurt military readiness. During his confirmation hearing, Biden's pick to lead the Pentagon, Retired Army General Lloyd Austin, said he supported overturning the ban. The US Supreme Court ruled that the Trump transgender policy of 2019 could stand while it faces separate lawsuits in lower courts. About 1.3 million active personnel serve in the US military, Department of Defense data shows. There are no official figures on the number of trans members but the Rand Corp, a US policy research institute, estimated in 2016 about 2,450 active service members were transgender. 'Counting down to this day' While advocates applaud Biden's move, the fact that any president can decide whether transgender people can serve in the military is problematic, they say. Any American who is fit and able should have the right to serve, they argue. "We must make sure that future presidents do not backslide on our values of equality and inclusion, and I intend to add a provision to this year's defense policy bill to secure a permanent policy of nondiscrimination for our armed forces," said Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Chair of the House Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee. Nic Talbott, a transgender man, was forced to drop out of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) due to Trump's ban. On Monday, he said Biden's move had given him and other transgender people an opportunity to once again join the military. "This is such a huge relief, such a huge weight off my shoulders," Talbott said. "I know there are thousands of other people out there just like me who have been counting down to this day, waiting to be able to start our careers and start our lives." Once the order is implemented, Talbott said he plans to enter another ROTC. (With inputs from agencies)

Joe Biden reverses Donald Trump's ban on transgender people in military

Only six countries currently give the same legal rights as men to women in the world, a World Bank report has found.

The report titled&nbsp;"Women, business and the law" revealed the world is moving to equal legal rights to both gender, however, the development is taking place at such a slow pace that so far only six countries have equal gender rights.

The six countries are Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg and Sweden.

"Six economies—Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg and Sweden—score 100 in the Women, Business and the Law index, meaning they give women and men equal legal rights in the measured areas," read the World Bank report.&nbsp;

The report also found that a decade ago none of these economies scored '100'&nbsp;in the 'Women, business and the law index'&nbsp;indicating that they reformed over the past ten years.

According to the report, France had the biggest improvement among the top performers, going from a score of 91.88 in the index ten years ago to 100 now by implementing a domestic violence law, providing criminal penalties for workplace sexual harassment and introducing paid parental leave.

The average global score is 74.71, indicating that a typical economy gives women only three-fourths the legal rights of men in the measured areas.

The report also had some optimistic findings that showed significant progress in this issue over the past decade.

"Ten years ago, the global average score was 70.06. Since then, 131 economies have made 274 reforms to laws and regulations increasing gender equality in the areas measured in the index. These reforms led to a 4.65 point increase in the average global score," the report read.

Another way to interpret this improvement is that on average, two of the 35 data points measured in the index reformed. These reforms include the 35 economies that introduced laws protecting women from sexual harassment at work, protecting nearly two billion more women than a decade ago.&nbsp;

Sub-Saharan Africa had the most reforms promoting gender equality. Six of the top reforming economies are in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Malawi, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe and Zambia. The remaining three top reformers are in East Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean and South Asia respectively, Samoa, Bolivia and Maldives.

Meanwhile, South Asia had the biggest improvement in average regional score, moving from 50 to 58.36, an increase of 8.36 points. This was followed by East Asia and the Pacific, which went from 64.80 to 70.73, an increase of 5.93 points.

Most top reformers introduced sexual harassment laws or mandated nondiscrimination in access to credit. One-third of the top reforming economies removed job restrictions on night work or on certain job types.

"Reforming economies tend to perform better than non-reformers in other measures of gender equality. The economies that reformed under the Women, Business and the Law index also tended to experience bigger increases in the percentage of women working overall, and in the percentage of women working relative to men," the report added.

Only six countries currently give the same legal rights as men to women in the world, a World Bank report has found. The report titled "Women, business and the law" revealed the world is moving to equal legal rights to both gender, however, the development is taking place at such a slow pace that so far only six countries have equal gender rights.

Only six countries currently give the same legal rights as men to women in the world, a World Bank report has found. The report titled "Women, business and the law" revealed the world is moving to equal legal rights to both gender, however, the development is taking place at such a slow pace that so far only six countries have equal gender rights. The six countries are Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg and Sweden. "Six economies—Belgium, Denmark, France, Latvia, Luxembourg and Sweden—score 100 in the Women, Business and the Law index, meaning they give women and men equal legal rights in the measured areas," read the World Bank report. The report also found that a decade ago none of these economies scored '100' in the 'Women, business and the law index' indicating that they reformed over the past ten years. According to the report, France had the biggest improvement among the top performers, going from a score of 91.88 in the index ten years ago to 100 now by implementing a domestic violence law, providing criminal penalties for workplace sexual harassment and introducing paid parental leave. The average global score is 74.71, indicating that a typical economy gives women only three-fourths the legal rights of men in the measured areas. The report also had some optimistic findings that showed significant progress in this issue over the past decade. "Ten years ago, the global average score was 70.06. Since then, 131 economies have made 274 reforms to laws and regulations increasing gender equality in the areas measured in the index. These reforms led to a 4.65 point increase in the average global score," the report read. Another way to interpret this improvement is that on average, two of the 35 data points measured in the index reformed. These reforms include the 35 economies that introduced laws protecting women from sexual harassment at work, protecting nearly two billion more women than a decade ago. Sub-Saharan Africa had the most reforms promoting gender equality. Six of the top reforming economies are in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Malawi, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe and Zambia. The remaining three top reformers are in East Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean and South Asia respectively, Samoa, Bolivia and Maldives. Meanwhile, South Asia had the biggest improvement in average regional score, moving from 50 to 58.36, an increase of 8.36 points. This was followed by East Asia and the Pacific, which went from 64.80 to 70.73, an increase of 5.93 points. Most top reformers introduced sexual harassment laws or mandated nondiscrimination in access to credit. One-third of the top reforming economies removed job restrictions on night work or on certain job types. "Reforming economies tend to perform better than non-reformers in other measures of gender equality. The economies that reformed under the Women, Business and the Law index also tended to experience bigger increases in the percentage of women working overall, and in the percentage of women working relative to men," the report added.

Only 6 countries in world give women equal legal work rights as men: World Bank report

South Korea held its first ever drag parade this weekend, a small but significant step for rights activists in a country that remains deeply conservative when it comes to gender and sexuality.

Dozens of drag queens and kings marched through Itaewon on Saturday, a suburb of Seoul best known for its nightlife and a nascent but vibrant gay scene.

Carrying rainbow flags, they cheered and strutted their best outfits, receiving shouts of support and the odd baffled look from those they passed.

While homosexuality is not illegal in South Korea, same-sex marriage is not recognised and people cannot legally change their birth gender.&nbsp

The country is home to a large evangelical Christian community and LGBT people feel pervasive pressure to to stay closeted.&nbsp

"When it comes to South Korea, human rights guarantees for sexual minorities are insufficient," Yang Heezy, a drag queen and the organiser of Seoul Drag Parade, told AFP.

"Today's drag parade and more queer culture festivals should take place to bring attention to sexual minorities and help those who are not from those minorities learn more," he added, sporting a flame red wig and floral dress.

Both South Koreans and foreigners participated in Saturday's parade.

One participant, who gave her drag queen name Lola Bank, said there was a feeling of exhilaration among marchers.

"The fact that we are able to be in public in drag is a huge milestone to queer acceptance in Korea," Lola enthused, dragging on a cigarette.

"I’ve always struggled with my masculinity and my femininity. And when I get in drag I’m saying kind of like a 'fuck you' to society’s expectations of how I should behave as a male."

Gay pride parades have been a fixture in South Korea for years but have often been protested by religious groups, who have held rival anti-homosexuality rallies while trying to physically block marchers.

Even left-leaning South Korean President Moon Jae-in -– a former human rights lawyer –- said he "opposed homosexuality" during a campaign debate last year.

Gay rights activists claim that some progress has been made in recent years, with surveys showing increasing tolerance -- particularly among young people -- and growing participation at gay pride events.&nbsp

Saturday's small parade saw no counter-demonstration.&nbsp

Lee Hyang-soon, an elderly street vendor, smiled and waved to participants as they passed.

"It's really cool. Seeing all the foreigners join in, it feels like Korea is becoming world famous," she said. "I'm happy. It's fabulous."

Dozens of drag queens and kings marched through Itaewon on Saturday, a suburb of Seoul best known for its nightlife and a nascent but vibrant gay scene

South Korea held its first ever drag parade this weekend, a small but significant step for rights activists in a country that remains deeply conservative when it comes to gender and sexuality. Dozens of drag queens and kings marched through Itaewon on Saturday, a suburb of Seoul best known for its nightlife and a nascent but vibrant gay scene. Carrying rainbow flags, they cheered and strutted their best outfits, receiving shouts of support and the odd baffled look from those they passed. While homosexuality is not illegal in South Korea, same-sex marriage is not recognised and people cannot legally change their birth gender. The country is home to a large evangelical Christian community and LGBT people feel pervasive pressure to to stay closeted. "When it comes to South Korea, human rights guarantees for sexual minorities are insufficient," Yang Heezy, a drag queen and the organiser of Seoul Drag Parade, told AFP. "Today's drag parade and more queer culture festivals should take place to bring attention to sexual minorities and help those who are not from those minorities learn more," he added, sporting a flame red wig and floral dress. Both South Koreans and foreigners participated in Saturday's parade. One participant, who gave her drag queen name Lola Bank, said there was a feeling of exhilaration among marchers. "The fact that we are able to be in public in drag is a huge milestone to queer acceptance in Korea," Lola enthused, dragging on a cigarette. "I’ve always struggled with my masculinity and my femininity. And when I get in drag I’m saying kind of like a 'fuck you' to society’s expectations of how I should behave as a male." Gay pride parades have been a fixture in South Korea for years but have often been protested by religious groups, who have held rival anti-homosexuality rallies while trying to physically block marchers. Even left-leaning South Korean President Moon Jae-in -– a former human rights lawyer –- said he "opposed homosexuality" during a campaign debate last year. Gay rights activists claim that some progress has been made in recent years, with surveys showing increasing tolerance -- particularly among young people -- and growing participation at gay pride events. Saturday's small parade saw no counter-demonstration. Lee Hyang-soon, an elderly street vendor, smiled and waved to participants as they passed. "It's really cool. Seeing all the foreigners join in, it feels like Korea is becoming world famous," she said. "I'm happy. It's fabulous."

In a first, South Korea holds drag parade with Rainbow flags and high heels

&quot;The day I was born, my father tried to bury me alive,&quot; Manju Singh tells me. &quot;The moment he knew he&#39;d had a daughter, he charged into the windowless room in which my mother had delivered me and started digging a hole in the mud floor. The umbilical cord had just been cut. My maternal grandmother scooped me up and fled.&quot;

Sitting before a wood stove in her outdoor kitchen in Haryana, Singh is cooking breakfast. It&#39;s winter, around dawn, and the 35-year-old mother of two speaks in a matter-of-fact tone, not allowing her narrative to interrupt the rapid motion of her rolling pin. The year is 2012 and there&#39;s bad news from India&rsquo;s just-published Census report: the number of girls born, compared to boys, has fallen drastically between 2001 and 2011&ndash; from 927 to 919.

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&lsquo;That I lived is nothing short of a miracle,&rsquo; Manju says while cooking on a wood stove (Others)
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&quot;That I lived is nothing short of a miracle,&quot; Manju continues. &quot;My mother had to fight hard to keep me alive. Even while I was growing up my father tried several times to kill me. He&#39;d beat me to pulp. But somehow, I lived through it all. I was just that stubborn.&quot; She laughs.

For generations, no girl child in Singh&rsquo;s family in Sadikpur village had been allowed to live. When she was 10, Manju&rsquo;s father told her that he had watched his sister being buried alive by his father. Killing new-born female progeny was a family &lsquo;tradition&rsquo;. The strictly &lsquo;sons only&rsquo; policy was implemented ruthlessly.

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A milestone on the way to Manju&rsquo;s village, Sadikpur (Others)
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What happened in Singh&#39;s family over generations was not an isolated instance. Female infanticide &ndash; an unfortunate confluence of culture and economics &ndash; was practiced in some parts of India for centuries. The methods varied from region to region, but all were equally macabre &ndash; feeding the baby grain husk to slit her windpipe, a morsel of rice to choke her, tobacco juice to poison her. Strangulation, starvation, overfeeding, and the fate Manju escaped &ndash; being buried alive &ndash; were also common.

These methods are now rare, though not entirely absent. In 2014, according to National Crime Records Bureau data, 121 cases of infanticide were reported in the country. But female infanticide in India was once widespread enough to necessitate a law against it: the Female Infanticide Prevention Act of 1970. It only succeeded in making the killers more furtive, their crimes harder to detect.

What did nearly eradicate infanticide was ultrasound, a technology that came to India in the late 1980s. With ultrasound imaging techniques, parents could identify the gender of their child in the womb. Identification services combined with sex-selective abortions at affordable prices mushroomed all over India. Though the practice of infanticide declined, many more girls actually died.

In 1994, India passed the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques Act to prohibit sex determination during ultrasound. But the Act, as well as an amendment passed in 2003, have been ineffective: India&#39;s ratio of young girls to young boys has slid lower every decade.

Manju is trying to counter this in her corner of Haryana. Breakfast cooked, she is now vigorously working the hand-pump in the courtyard to fill water for her family for the day. She tells me about the traditional rituals that accompanied infanticide in different parts of India:

&quot;In the state of Rajasthan a popular song urges the daughter not to return to this land. They used to sing that after killing the infant. And in Punjab they would place the girl alive in an earthen pot with a lump of jaggery, some gram and raw cotton yarn. Then they buried the pot while chanting &lsquo;Gud khaanyi, punni katti. Aap na aayi, veerey nu kalli&#39; [Eat this jaggery, spin this cotton. Don&#39;t come back. The next time, send your brother instead]&rsquo;.&quot;

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Manju&rsquo;s kids and husband: &lsquo;I love my son too, but my daughter is special&#39; (Others)
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Manju explains: &quot;Gram and jaggery are symbols of celebrating a boy child. And the cotton yarn is what a sister ties on her brother&#39;s wrist to ask for his protection. These male symbols are meant to invoke a son.&quot;

Singh is a health and gender rights advocate in her community in Ambala district; she works (at the time of our meeting) with the Voluntary Health Association of Punjab. She educates village women about preventing the crime her father tried to commit. &quot;I understand women&rsquo;s concerns, the pressures they face. I never preach to them; I try to befriend them. That&#39;s the only way to make change happen,&quot; she says as she winds up her household chores and steps out for the day.

Our first stop is a village meeting. A crowd of women has gathered and a raucous debate is underway. The topic of discussion is the relative &lsquo;merits&rsquo; of sons and daughters. Many women give various reasons for their preference: &quot;Daughters are expensive to bring up. We need to spend on their dowries;&quot; &quot;Sons earn money, they bring dowries. Daughters only take from their families;&quot; &quot;A daughter gets married and goes away but a son is always there to look after you;&quot; &quot;Raising a daughter is like watering a tree in your neighbour&#39;s garden.&quot;

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Addressing a meeting, discussing the relative &lsquo;merits&rsquo; of sons and daughters (Others)
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Then a middle-aged woman at the back of the crowd pipes up in a robust tone: &quot;All of you who want only sons, can you tell me who will make the babies? Can men give birth to children? We need girls too. Girls are great! Ask me, I have two daughters.&quot; The air becomes thick with cheers.

But the truth is, there is little cause for cheer. According to Census 2011 data, Haryana has only 834 girls for every 1,000 boys in the 0-6 age group. There aren&#39;t enough girls in the state for young men to marry. Entire villages in Haryana are now devoid of brides. Bachelors are desperate, trying everything from propitiating the gods to buying brides from other states and arm-twisting local politicians to get them brides in exchange for votes.

Says Singh, &quot;When I got married I learned about sex-selective abortion. It was all around me. It was happening in practically every home. Women were under immense pressure to do it. Many of them were undergoing five, six, even 10 abortions in the quest for a son. It&#39;s physical and mental torture. I felt very strongly that I should work with women to try and stop this killing... It was a calling from deep within.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/06-manjus-constituency-is-women-sc-manju-figh.width-1440-20171128071113.jpg" />
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According to Census 2011 data, Haryana has only 834 girls for every 1,000 boys in the 0-6 age group (Others)
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&quot;Even medicine can become a poison if not used correctly,&quot; Singh tells me. &quot;Ultrasound technology was supposed to be used to improve the health of mothers and babies. But society has used it as a killing tool. People are complicit. So are doctors. It&#39;s illegal to reveal the sex of the child and sex-selective abortion is illegal too. But it happens all the time, clinics do this everywhere. And it&#39;s so much easier compared to infanticide that people feel it is okay.&quot;

At the end of a day of trudging from village to village, addressing meetings, gathering data, chatting with pregnant women, and talking to young mothers who&#39;ve just given birth to female children, it&#39;s time for Manju to head home. The sun is setting and there&#39;s a cold wind blowing. Her daughter is back from school and busy preparing for her mother&#39;s arrival. Steaming cups of tea and biscuits await us.

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A cold wind is blowing on the way back to Sadikpur that evening; at Manju&rsquo;s home, her daughter awaits us with steaming cups of tea (Others)
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Ruffling her daughter&#39;s hair, Singh praises her effort and then turns to me and asks, &quot;Do you have a daughter?&quot; &quot;Yes,&quot; I answer. &quot;Then,&quot; she says, &quot;you&#39;ll know what I mean when I say that they are precious. When I was pregnant for the first time, I prayed for a girl. And god&nbsp;heard me. I love my son too, but my daughter is special.&quot;

This <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/manju-fights-to-change-the-script" rel="nofollow" target="blank">article</a> was originally published on 22/03/2016 on the <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/" rel="nofollow" target="blank">People&#39;s Archive of Rural India</a>.

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Image Credit: Svati Chakravarty

Manju Singh is a health and gender rights advocate in her community in Ambala district and educates village women about preventing female infanticide. Her father tried to bury her when she was born but she survived

"The day I was born, my father tried to bury me alive," Manju Singh tells me. "The moment he knew he'd had a daughter, he charged into the windowless room in which my mother had delivered me and started digging a hole in the mud floor. The umbilical cord had just been cut. My maternal grandmother scooped me up and fled." Sitting before a wood stove in her outdoor kitchen in Haryana, Singh is cooking breakfast. It's winter, around dawn, and the 35-year-old mother of two speaks in a matter-of-fact tone, not allowing her narrative to interrupt the rapid motion of her rolling pin. The year is 2012 and there's bad news from India’s just-published Census report: the number of girls born, compared to boys, has fallen drastically between 2001 and 2011– from 927 to 919. ‘That I lived is nothing short of a miracle,’ Manju says while cooking on a wood stove (Others) × "That I lived is nothing short of a miracle," Manju continues. "My mother had to fight hard to keep me alive. Even while I was growing up my father tried several times to kill me. He'd beat me to pulp. But somehow, I lived through it all. I was just that stubborn." She laughs. For generations, no girl child in Singh’s family in Sadikpur village had been allowed to live. When she was 10, Manju’s father told her that he had watched his sister being buried alive by his father. Killing new-born female progeny was a family ‘tradition’. The strictly ‘sons only’ policy was implemented ruthlessly. A milestone on the way to Manju’s village, Sadikpur (Others) × What happened in Singh's family over generations was not an isolated instance. Female infanticide – an unfortunate confluence of culture and economics – was practiced in some parts of India for centuries. The methods varied from region to region, but all were equally macabre – feeding the baby grain husk to slit her windpipe, a morsel of rice to choke her, tobacco juice to poison her. Strangulation, starvation, overfeeding, and the fate Manju escaped – being buried alive – were also common. These methods are now rare, though not entirely absent. In 2014, according to National Crime Records Bureau data, 121 cases of infanticide were reported in the country. But female infanticide in India was once widespread enough to necessitate a law against it: the Female Infanticide Prevention Act of 1970. It only succeeded in making the killers more furtive, their crimes harder to detect. What did nearly eradicate infanticide was ultrasound, a technology that came to India in the late 1980s. With ultrasound imaging techniques, parents could identify the gender of their child in the womb. Identification services combined with sex-selective abortions at affordable prices mushroomed all over India. Though the practice of infanticide declined, many more girls actually died. In 1994, India passed the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostics Techniques Act to prohibit sex determination during ultrasound. But the Act, as well as an amendment passed in 2003, have been ineffective: India's ratio of young girls to young boys has slid lower every decade. Manju is trying to counter this in her corner of Haryana. Breakfast cooked, she is now vigorously working the hand-pump in the courtyard to fill water for her family for the day. She tells me about the traditional rituals that accompanied infanticide in different parts of India: "In the state of Rajasthan a popular song urges the daughter not to return to this land. They used to sing that after killing the infant. And in Punjab they would place the girl alive in an earthen pot with a lump of jaggery, some gram and raw cotton yarn. Then they buried the pot while chanting ‘Gud khaanyi, punni katti. Aap na aayi, veerey nu kalli' [Eat this jaggery, spin this cotton. Don't come back. The next time, send your brother instead]’." Manju’s kids and husband: ‘I love my son too, but my daughter is special' (Others) × Manju explains: "Gram and jaggery are symbols of celebrating a boy child. And the cotton yarn is what a sister ties on her brother's wrist to ask for his protection. These male symbols are meant to invoke a son." Singh is a health and gender rights advocate in her community in Ambala district; she works (at the time of our meeting) with the Voluntary Health Association of Punjab. She educates village women about preventing the crime her father tried to commit. "I understand women’s concerns, the pressures they face. I never preach to them; I try to befriend them. That's the only way to make change happen," she says as she winds up her household chores and steps out for the day. Our first stop is a village meeting. A crowd of women has gathered and a raucous debate is underway. The topic of discussion is the relative ‘merits’ of sons and daughters. Many women give various reasons for their preference: "Daughters are expensive to bring up. We need to spend on their dowries;" "Sons earn money, they bring dowries. Daughters only take from their families;" "A daughter gets married and goes away but a son is always there to look after you;" "Raising a daughter is like watering a tree in your neighbour's garden." Addressing a meeting, discussing the relative ‘merits’ of sons and daughters (Others) × Then a middle-aged woman at the back of the crowd pipes up in a robust tone: "All of you who want only sons, can you tell me who will make the babies? Can men give birth to children? We need girls too. Girls are great! Ask me, I have two daughters." The air becomes thick with cheers. But the truth is, there is little cause for cheer. According to Census 2011 data, Haryana has only 834 girls for every 1,000 boys in the 0-6 age group. There aren't enough girls in the state for young men to marry. Entire villages in Haryana are now devoid of brides. Bachelors are desperate, trying everything from propitiating the gods to buying brides from other states and arm-twisting local politicians to get them brides in exchange for votes. Says Singh, "When I got married I learned about sex-selective abortion. It was all around me. It was happening in practically every home. Women were under immense pressure to do it. Many of them were undergoing five, six, even 10 abortions in the quest for a son. It's physical and mental torture. I felt very strongly that I should work with women to try and stop this killing... It was a calling from deep within. According to Census 2011 data, Haryana has only 834 girls for every 1,000 boys in the 0-6 age group (Others) × "Even medicine can become a poison if not used correctly," Singh tells me. "Ultrasound technology was supposed to be used to improve the health of mothers and babies. But society has used it as a killing tool. People are complicit. So are doctors. It's illegal to reveal the sex of the child and sex-selective abortion is illegal too. But it happens all the time, clinics do this everywhere. And it's so much easier compared to infanticide that people feel it is okay." At the end of a day of trudging from village to village, addressing meetings, gathering data, chatting with pregnant women, and talking to young mothers who've just given birth to female children, it's time for Manju to head home. The sun is setting and there's a cold wind blowing. Her daughter is back from school and busy preparing for her mother's arrival. Steaming cups of tea and biscuits await us. A cold wind is blowing on the way back to Sadikpur that evening; at Manju’s home, her daughter awaits us with steaming cups of tea (Others) × Ruffling her daughter's hair, Singh praises her effort and then turns to me and asks, "Do you have a daughter?" "Yes," I answer. "Then," she says, "you'll know what I mean when I say that they are precious. When I was pregnant for the first time, I prayed for a girl. And god heard me. I love my son too, but my daughter is special." This article was originally published on 22/03/2016 on the People's Archive of Rural India. (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity). Image Credit: Svati Chakravarty

Opinion: Manju fights to change the script

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