Year End Special: Happy to vote as a female

Surya is a known face, seen regularly in comedy shows on mini screen. She has acted in films too and was the first from the transgender community to vote in this year’s election as a woman. She speaks about the milestones and hurdles she faced this year.

“Looking back, I can definitely say that it has been a good year for our community though certain promises are yet to be kept. One of my biggest joys is that I was able to vote as a female which is a first in the state. The attitude of society towards us has changed for better, but some promises and assurances made by the Government have not been fulfilled. ID cards are still difficult to procure for our community and I had to fight a protracted and hard struggle to reach this stage. I want more members from my community to vote. Every citizen of India should be given the opportunity to vote and I was very vocal and adamant about this, which is why I was ultimately able to vote. We have been fighting for a separate column for transgenders in application forms. I am glad to say that certain events like the IFFK and the Biennale have included a third column in their forms. Certain sections are still not aware of what a transgender is and I am sad to say that there have been no awareness classes or publicity campaigns to create awareness about our community.

Another heartening outcome is that I have got membership in libraries and I am active in films and serials. I have received the Best Woman of the Year award from the Woman Parliament and also got an award for the best social worker from an organisation. I am active in films and serials which is my livelihood and won an award for a comedy programme. I have some transgenders under my care and have been at the forefront of transgender rights for the past 15 years. Whatever acceptance we have received till now has been owing to the efforts and hard talk of our organisation, fellow activists and groups. I have used my acting talent to promote and create awareness on my community.

Most of the government promises are still in papers. Yes, they receive us warmly and talk to us, promising certain things which never materialise. There is no justice board to issue us a gender certificate without which we cannot get an ID card which puts us through a lot of hardships.

Leaving aside the government apathy, student organisations like SFI have given us a column and this time, the IFFK too has kept aside tickets especially for us. We even have permission to start a residential school. Positive changes have happened and in this year’s budget presentation, a pension scheme for transgenders was also mooted.

Long way to go

Kerala is the first state to implement a Transgender Policy, aimed at ending societal stigma towards the community. The government had also announced a pension scheme for transgenders in the 2016 budget and the prisons department decided to build a separate block for transgenders at the Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur. All the same, transgender activist and actor Surya feels that a lot of other promises still remain on paper including jobs in the Metro rail and identity card.