TISS to Start a Gender-Neutral Hostel in Order to Promote Inclusion and Diversity
The move to start a gender-neurtal hostel at TISS is in keeping with the institution's aim to promote a diverse and inclusive environment.
Tata Institute of Social Science or TISS has launched a pioneering initiative to begin a gender-neutral hostel in its move to promote inclusion and gender diversity. As per reports, the ground floor of one of its hostel will be used for the purpose. The news was communicated to its students through a mail, saying that those who identify as transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming students are free to apply for rooms in this hostel on a first come, first served basis. As of now, the space will be a part of hostel IV, which will continue to be a girls-only hostel.
The move is in keeping with TISS efforts to drive gender inclusivity in the institution, which sees a sizable number of students with a non-conforming identity coming into the campus, according to PK Shahjahan, the dean of student affairs at TISS spoke to the Mumbai Mirror. The hostels in the campus have always been bifurcated to cater to only men and women before. The new move is a welcome step in the direction of diversity and inclusion since it acknowledges those who do not conform to binary notions of gender. As of now, TISS is planning to allow 20 seats in the hostel for the students.
The move is a result of a year-long struggle of TISS Queer Collective with the authorities at the institution. The collective told Mumbai Mirror that it is drafted in tandem with various laws that are currently in existence.
While TISS decision to introduce the gender-neutral hostel has been lauded, a month ago, the students were engaged in a tussle with the institution over the unreasonable hike in dining and hostel fees, along with withdrawal of fee waivers to students belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Class (OBC) sections. The students from the University of Oxford, who are fighting their own apartheid battle at the university, had also openly expressed their support for the students protesting at TISS.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 06, 2018 01:04 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).