THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Transgenders, who have been included as officials in the 22nd IFFK, feel discriminated. The only change they see from last year’s festival is that they now wear an official tag.
“Three of us have been included in three official panels such as programme, reception and audience committees. But we do not know what to do.
We have never been invited to a committee meeting,” said Sreekutty, Sexual and Gender Minority Federation state president who is a member of the official panel. Pointing out that they are not being kept informed, Sreekutty said, “We have been included in the official committees just for the sake of it. We do not know what role we have.” According to them, they were included in the committees only after they demanded the same. “The IFFK authorities didn’t voluntarily include us in the committees. We got in only after we raised a demand,” Sreekutty said.
Sreekutty said they had to pay Rs 650 even though they were included in the official committee. “I don’t know why we were asked to pay the amount though we are official delegates. When we enquired, Kerala Chalachitra Academy secretary Mahesh Panju said we have to pay. Last year we paid for the delegate pass. The only difference is the name of the pass – delegate and official,” Sreekutty said.
But Sreekutty was gung-ho about getting to see the movies. She said, “We had a good time. Since we don’t have any assigned roles, we have a lot of spare time and get to see the films.” However, Kerala Chalachitra Academy secretary Mahesh Panju said there has been no discrimination against the transgenders. He said the Transgenders Association had approached the academy for their inclusion as representatives very late.
On the Rs 650 fees for the official pass, Panju said everyone except the government officials in the 17 sub-committees had to pay the amount as registration fee.
Stressing the academy had not shown any discrimination, he said a cultural event was to be presented by the transgenders. “But since the inaugural celebration was cancelled, their programme could not be staged. The academy has also taken care to provide special toilet facilities for the transgenders,” he said.