Transgenders not at home in Ennore

Chennai: Tension prevailed at Ennore on Friday when residents opposed a group of transgenders moving into their neighbourhood  in the Slum Clearance Board Tenements, Ennore, where the latter were due to receive pattas and take possession.  Normalcy returned after officials and NGO representatives held talks.

About 70 per cent of the beneficiaries received their pattas, on Friday. The group had little time to rejoice ever since 2010 when they were allotted houses, as since then they have had to run from pillar to post just to get the plan executed.

After six years of protests, demonstrations, pleas and haggling, the group of 230 transgenders finally succeeded in getting their building, only to face threats and opposition from their soon-to-be neighbours.

Just as they were planning a grand inauguration with the social welfare minister as their chief guest, the transgenders were in for a surprise as the neighbours demanded that the government doesn’t move them.

The neighbours protesting against the transgenders are residents of a Tsunami settlement. They said that if transgenders were allowed in the neighbourhood, their children’s lives would be 'affected.’

Even though the transgenders were surprised, they were not shocked. Sudha, a popular transgender activist said, “It is not new to us, especially when such a large number of us turned up at Ennore, the residents were bound to become uncomfortable.

However, we did not react angrily, we are going to take the peaceful route and try to make them understand that we will pose no threat to them.” The transgenders did not file any police complaint even though they were harassed but as Sudha mentioned, they have all decided to gain the trust of the residents amicably. Sankari ,another activist, also agreed, “ We eventually have to be living with them soon enough, so we don’t want to create any negative feelings and want to get along with them.”