Towards transfarmation
CHENNAI: In the wee hours of a weekday, a van inches towards a milk farm in Manthithoppu, a locality about four-odd kilometres from Kovilpatti. A group of trans-women move around the shed like well-oiled machines, clean the area and briskly milk 30 cows. Within a few hours, they line up aluminium cans, fill them with the day’s produce, and load it in the van. In the hours that follow, there is playful banter, diligent work and a lot of happiness dotting their day.
“This is a life we’ve always dreamt of — where we live with dignity. It’s been fiveodd months of happiness and our hearts are filled with hope for the future,” says trans activist Grace Banu, who in mid- 2020, along with former Thoothukudi district collector Sandeep Nanduri, spearheaded the setting up of the Manthithoppu Transgenders’ Milk Producers’ Cooperative Society (MTMPCS) — the first dairy farm in the county run by the trans community.
Alongside this livelihood-spinning structure, an integrated residential centre too was set up at the twoacre land. “This initiative which translated from paper to plan only last year has been a dream for seven years. We worked tirelessly for it to see the light of the day. The then collector and his support were vital in helping us set it up and as thanksgiving, we named the colony Sandeep Nagar,” shares Grace. The residents of the colony, after enduring years of hardships and stigma, have over the last several months been able to live life on their own terms and Grace says that this is just the beginning of a long journey towards inclusivity. “There’s dignity and a place for us to call our own.
Earlier, there were only about 30 trans-women who had proper documents. Now, everyone has received it. For many, this is a new lease of life and having these documents will enable them tap on benefits provided by the government,” she shares. The residents of the cooperative society have been supplying anything between 200-280 litres of milk daily to the stateowned Aavin. “None of us had prior experience in rearing or milking cows. The district administration arranged for training and after 10 days of learning the skill, we have been able to do it ourselves. Now, we are quite efficient! The cows have become an integral part of our lives. This year, the Pongal festival was very special for us.
A week before the festival, we started cleaning the shed, painting the cows and adorning them. We celebrated it with pomp!” enthuses Grace, who along with the society members is now working towards procuring 30 more cows for the farm. Of the 85-odd residents, some are degree holders, Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) and Tamil Nadu Uniformed Service Reserve Board (TNUSRB) aspirants. Grace says that to provide them with a holistic lifestyle, a skill centre and learning centre have also been set up.
“We have also procured a few tailoring machines and want to integrate more vocational activities to ensure they have the skills needed for life. We will soon be setting up an Aavin parlour to sell milk-based products,” she says. The dairy farm and the residential centre is now a model unit for the country and several districts in Tamil Nadu. Thiruvannamalai and Madurai districts will soon be adopting a similar set-up, she adds. “Our vision for 2021 is precisely this – to make such possibilities for the trans community a reality in places across the state and act as a role model for the country,” she adds.