India asks states to allow transgender choice in bathrooms

NEW DELHI: India's government has asked all states to let transgendered people use any public toilet of their choice.

The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation issued guidelines earlier this week that asked state governments to make an effort to see that transgender people are recognized as equal citizens. It said transgender people should be allowed to use the facility of their choice in community or public toilets.

The rights group Sangama said Thursday that the government's decision was a good start, though it needed to be backed by a strong education campaign to change attitudes toward the transgender community, which faced a lot of discrimination in India.