India’s first transgender soldier faces job threat, decides to fight back

Shabi was born male and known as M.K Giri joined the Marine Engineering Department of the Eastern Naval Command seven years ago, however, in 2016 she decided to finally achieve the gender identity which suited her body that is she went through sex reassignment surgery in Delhi and is now a woman.

After her surgery, she came back to the naval base in Visakhapatnam where she was forced to reveal her sex change operation after she suffered a urinary tract infection.

Despite her sex change, she alleged that she was kept in a male ward with three soldiers standing guard throughout the day, news agency ANI claimed in its report.

After being discharged from the Navy psychiatric ward on August 12, she resumed her service as a woman.

Now, after the Indian Navy reportedly sent her case to the Ministry of Defense, seeking advice on the future course of action, she confronted her Divisional Officer (DO).

She was obstructed to speak to the media by her DO, threatening her that she will be dismissed from her service since "women cannot work in defense service," the report said.

According to the Indian Navy policies, there's no place for a 'transgender' but she vowed to fight against such policies.

"I will go to the Supreme Court if I have to and fight for my rights. I am extremely upset at the decision of the Navy to discharge me and will take all legal options possible,'' ANI quoted her as saying.