Previously, only people of the male or female genders could donate their organs or bodies.
Let our bodies be useful to someone even after we leave this earth, says Thripthi Shetty, a trans woman who has promised to donate her body, as well as that of her trans husband Hrithik M, to medical research after death. Since their wedding in 2019, the couple has been knocking on every door in search of such permission.
The couple then met with then-Health Minister K K Shailaja and told her of their greatest wish: to donate their bodies for medical students to study. At the time, organ donation was only available to men and women. The minister received a written request from the couple, complete with photographs and contact information. They requested that she notify them whenever the barrier is removed.
They were surprised to learn in April from the Kerala Network of Organ Sharing (KNOS-Mrithasanjeevani) that the technical glitch had been resolved and that they could now provide the consent letter for organ donation.
“We asked them to take organs in the event of an emergency or the entire body for research purposes at the medical college for students. On August 5, after receiving permission from Mrithasanjeevani, we submitted the agreement to the Government Medical College in Ernakulam.
At a time when many types of research are being conducted on different genders, particularly transgender people, having a pair of bodies would be extremely beneficial to medical students,” Thripthi explained. Thripthi is a business owner who specialises in jewellery, and Hrithik is a newsreader and fish breeder. They are Kerala’s first transgender entrepreneur couple.
KNOS Organ Transplant Coordinator Aneesh PV praised the transgender couple for their efforts in donating their bodies and promoting social causes. “When they were first introduced, they did not list the donor as transgender. This is the first time we have encountered a transgender donor. Therefore, we have updated the registration form with a new column that includes both males and females. Change. This is just a technical issue,” he said.
Original Story: New Indian Express
https://www.newindianexpress.com/good-news/2021/aug/10/kerala-trans-couple-gives-consent-to-donate-body-after-death-2342430.html
