Transgenderism in Cyberspace: Technology Empowering Transgender

Abstract

Technology has irreversibly transformed the society and provided a platform to shape the values believes and culture of masses keeping in mind the elimination of gender disparity. However, the existence of Transgender section has challenged the rigid concept of this binary arrangement of social institution. As biological sex does not coincide with the gender identity, transgenders experience severe violence and harassment and most of them are subjected to housing and employment discrimination. Major technological advances such as cyberspace, internet and mass media have provided enormous opportunities for transgender upliftment. Socializing from private realms to discussing various sensitive and embarrassing issues on social platform, from offering or receiving suitable advice and support regarding coming out to sharing unconventional emotions staying at the fringes of the society, technology plays a significant role in tackling gender inequality and empowering transgender. This paper, therefore examines how cyberspace and mass media empowers transgenders by overcoming offline impediments related to their gender and awaking common masses vis-à-vis the issues transgender face due to their gender identity.