EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND EXCLUSION: STRUCTURAL BARRIERS SHAPING THE LIVES OF TRANSGENDER COMMUNITIES IN URBAN INDIA

Abstract

This paper discusses education's, employment's, income's, accommodations, and financial security's effects on Kolkata-West Bengal and Lucknow-Uttar Pradesh based transgenders' quality of life. The 300 data were collected by using interview schedule and analysed by regression tests and chi-square tests. Findings prove that education enables transgenders' access to stable employment that is mostly formal but does not always earn them higher incomes. Again, stable employment improves overall life satisfaction but higher incomes do not always earn safer accommodation or higher standards of living because of stigma and discrimination. These findings partially confirm study hypotheses that education and employment do make a difference but their benefit is limited if foundational social barriers are not removed. Suggestions are made for education that is transgenders-inclusive, employment policies that are fair, protection of accommodation by law, and greater protection against discrimination for the empowerment of transgenders to live equally and with dignity.