The Noida Metro Rail Cooperation (NMRC) on Wednesday, 24 June, announced that the Sector-50 station, dedicated to the transgender community, will now be called ‘Rainbow Station’, withdrawing its earlier decision to call it ‘She Man’.
This comes just days after the transgender community termed the name ‘She Man’ “transphobic” and “insensitive”, and demanded that the metro rail corporation reconsider it.
“NMRC has received a number of suggestions from individuals and NGOs regarding a suitable name for the station which would correctly signify and represent the essence of this community. Keeping these suggestions in mind, NMRC has decided to name the station as ‘Rainbow Station’,” said Ritu Maheshwari, Managing Director, NMRC, in a statement.
She added that the metro corporation will also be providing members of the community with employment opportunities.
Queer Feminist Resource Group ‘Nazariya’ had written to the NMRC suggesting names like ‘Rainbow Station’ and ‘Travel With Pride’.
“So whatever their intention is with regard to working with the community, the naming of the station as 'She Man' station to promote transgender persons' rights, is not acceptable. Whenever we want to work with any community which is marginalised, it is important to know the correct terminologies and facts,” the group had said in a statement on 22 June.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)