KOCHI: Syama S Prabha is the first state project officer of the Kerala government’s transgender cell constituted as part of the Directorate of Social Justice. The postgraduate from Kerala University is hoping to enrol for a PhD soon to study the lives of the transgender community in Kerala. Syama says it was in 2014, when the Supreme Court in a landmark judgement recognised the transgender community as a third gender along with male and female, that the community received a visible space in society. “That verdict inspired many of us to come out and reveal our identities,” she says.
Syama says, even though now she can show many achievements in her life and career, her childhood was in no way pretty. Be it family, school, other institutions, or society, she has faced ridicule and discrimination throughout her life. “Those days, many classmates and friends would even try to find out whether I am a man or a woman. I had overcome discrimination and harassments to even complete my education.”
She says she could have hidden her identity and continued to live without experiencing the many struggles. But if everyone did so, the community will not have anyone to speak out for its members. “Therefore, without fading into the backdrop, we have to use every opportunity to bring the community together and speak up for our rights,” she feels.
Syama opines that working as a part of an organisation like Queerythm is what helped her in speaking for the community at large. Syama has been a part of Queerythm, a Thiruvananthapuram-based organisation that is working for the rights and lives of sexual and gender minorities and people living with HIV in Kerala, for four years.Being a part of an organisation was especially helpful while pointing out the inadequacies of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
She recounts that even while working at the social justice directorate many discriminate against her based on her identity. “The transgender cell is something that the other governments can emulate in their respective states. Bringing a separate column in the PSC list was an achievement for us, especially for people like me.”
According to her, a survey in 2016 revealed that, of the community, around 60 per cent were not able to complete their school education. “This wasn’t because they were dumb or they could not study but because of the environment at schools and the constant bullying of fellow students and faculty.” For them, the transgender cell came out with a programme, Samanvaya, with the help of the state literacy department.
“Covid-19 affected the entire world severely. For us, it was even more severe. Many in the community couldn’t even work during the times and did not have money to pay rents, especially sex workers in the community.” According to her, many in the community had to temporarily stop taking hormone treatment due to unavailability or lack of employment. She and the community at large were working extra hard during the post lockdown period. Many fell into depression and many had suicidal thoughts. Queerythm could provide them with timely counselling and save many lives during the period, she added.