Shame, Said Society. Pride, Said Community

FROM BEING A NO ONE BEING SOMEONE, THE TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY HAVE COME A LONG WAY. A FIGHT FOUGHT WITH PRIDE, THEIR WALK OF SHAME IS A HISTORY.

- Roshan D

Transgenders – the word seems familiar. A man, disguised in the form of a woman, wearing saree with a beautiful long wig that almost looked like their natural hair, clapping their hands in the train and asking for money. This is the initial picture that one paints when they hear something about the transgender community. While the former action tends portrays the community as rude, when the public refuses to the money, the latter image that they picture about the transgender community is an act of pleasure which is considered a walk of shame.

Although this has portrayed the transgender community as a dishonour to the society, the society has completely ignored the fact that the transgender community, which also is a part and parcel of the society. While the lack of awareness and the importance of sensitising the public about the transgender community has been one of the major problems that the community face, their fight towards equality, recognition, and dignity have come a long way. The remarkable journey also witnessed a paradigm shift in empowering the people from the community to lead a mainstream life like anyone else.

While India has recognised the community in the recent past and has initiated steps towards empowering them, it is also home to more than 4.9 L transgender people. Although the number might seem small in front of the total population of the country, the number still counts to something.

IS KERALA A PROGRESSIVE STATE?