Beauty, brains & grit

Syama still remembers the day when she was crowned Queen of Dhwayah 2017, Kerala's first beauty pageant for transgender held in Kochi. She was least expecting the title and then her number was called. Syama says she even rechecked her chest number to ensure that she was the winner. "Because all contestants were really talented. It was a tight competition. I least expected this. I was so excited upon winning this," says Syama, who is the vice president of Queerythem, a Thiruvananthapuram-based organisation that fights for the rights of the sexual minority. A native of Thiruvananthapuram, she is also a member of Oasis, a community-based organisation.

Syama was not even confident about entering the contest when she was informed about this. "Suryamma of Comedy Stars told me about the contest. I was reluctant as I am a little bulky. I feared that people would tease me. Then, she assured me saying that it is not just beauty but brain too mattered in the contest. I went for an audition in Kollam, got in, which boosted my confidence. I am grateful to Suryamma, Renju Renjimar, who organised the event so neatly, and my friends Prijith, Sreekutty, Achu, Apoorva, Sree, Migha, Akhil, and Prathap Singh for their support," Syama says. The three-day grooming session prior to the event helped the contestants develop a good attitude. "We never had such opportunities in life. It was great to attend the class by Manney Paul sir and Sunil Menon."

Syama

The pageant had three rounds – Kerala traditional, designer saree and gown. All rounds were equally challenging for Syama, who believes that it was her answer in the final round that fetched her title. The question was whether they would adopt a boy or girl if they are provided with a chance to adopt a child. While other contestants chose to adopt a girl, Syama said she would choose a boy. “I said so, because from my experiences, what I have learnt is that it is boys who tease transgender people, calling names when they go out. If I adopt a boy, I could make him aware of the life of a transgender, teach him to treat them well and thus bring a change in his mindset, and gradually in society,” recalls Syama, who had to fight against all odds to reach this far.

As a transgender, she had to go through a lot of painful circumstances in her life. “I had to confront comments during school and college days. I was in a boy's school till Plus Two and then I moved to a co-ed College, where I was teased even by girls,” says Syama. But, nothing could tarnish the spirit of Syama, who secured 108th rank from Kerala for the medical entrance examination. “But, I couldn't pursue medicine as my father passed away then. I chose to study Malayalam instead.  Times were quite tough but I was determined to study because I could see my mother struggling to send me to college. There were depressing moments when I thought of giving up studies, but fought back for my mother. I wanted to study,” says Syama and exhorts her community members to study hard. Shyma took M.Ed in Malayalam. Now, her aim is PhD.

She is the first to have won the state government's scholarship for transgender persons. She has plans to take issues of transgender persons as her subject for PhD. “Students from outside the transgender community have studied issues of transgender people but none from within the community. I want to submit a thesis based on that. I could incorporate my friends' and my own experiences in that study. Experience is the best teacher, right,” she asks. In her opinion, though there is a change in attitude towards transgender persons in Kerala, it is not so big. “No drastic change has occurred. The conventional people are still hesitant. However, the young generation has changed; they accept us. That helps us to come forward. And, I believe the change should come from young people, at the grass-root level,” says Syama. Quiz her about future plans, she says, “Now, I have won the title and I want to make use of opportunities that come my way. Also, I wish to try my luck in acting, which has been my passion since school days.”