This Trans Woman Has Written to India’s President Asking for a ‘Mercy Killing’

Shanavi Ponnusamy has written a letter to the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, seeking permission for a “mercy killing.” Her suicidal request is over being refused a job from Air India allegedly because of her gender, four times in a row.

Ponnusamy applied four times to become a cabin crew member for Air India. Each time, she was refused. She said, “They said we don’t have a category for trans-women. But, do I get a discount on taxes? I have to pay that, right?”

Last November, Ponnusamy went to India’s Supreme Court challenging Air India’s decision. Though the Court issued a notice and requested a response from both Air India and the Civil Aviation Ministry within four weeks, neither organization have replied.

In her letter to Kovind, Ponnusamy says that without a job, she can’t make ends meet. Since she’s unable to survive, she’s asking for a mercy killing. She writes, “It is clear that Indian government (is) not ready to respond on my survival issue and employment question.”

The letter was posted at the Trans Rights Now Collective page on Facebook. In it, she describes her background as an engineering graduate who previously worked for Air India’s international customer support. However, after transitioning, she was refused the opportunity to become a cabin crew member.

Unfortunately, she’s been out of work and can’t pay for food. She ends her letter with the chilling words:

So here am requesting to you that as am not able to raise in question against Air India and [the] Ministry of Civil Aviation as there is no response from them already, kindly do ‘euthanize’ [me]. I am proud to die [by] my Indian government[‘s] hand.

Ponnusamy also works as a model in Chennai, India.

 

Read Shanavi Ponnusamy’s “mercy killing” letter below:

 

Featured image courtesy of Shanavi Ponnusamy’s Twitter