PATHANAMTHITTA: “Earlier, we never wanted to go outside even during the election time fearing the prying eyes and abusive words of others. Almost everybody looked at us like a different and comic creature. But the situation has changed now. This time, I have confidence and courage to go to the polling station and cast my vote for the first time in the identity as a transgender,” said Kavya Thengamam.She is a voter from Adoor assembly constituency in Pathanamthitta.
As per the voters’ list, the district has a total of 10,54,100 voters. Seven of them are transgenders. In Adoor assembly constituency, three voters are transgenders. Ranni assembly constituency has two transgenders. Tiruvalla and Aranmula constituencies have one transgender each. “Though I had cast my vote in earlier assembly elections too, this assembly poll is special to me. It is the first time I am going to cast my vote with the election ID card in which my gender is mentioned as transgender,” she said.
Though she has been in Thiruvananthapuram for a year, Covid-19 has rendered her jobless. “But I will come and cast my vote at any cost. Earlier, every transgender feared to reveal their real identity. But now we have received election ID cards mentioning our gender as transgender. Now, the society has undergone good changes and it has started accepting and treating us in a good way. If we keep away from this democratic process, our issues will not be addressed,” she said.
Thirty-year-old Nakshathra V Kurup, another transgender voter from Pathanamthitta district, is also staying in Thiruvananthapuram. “I have packed my bags and am set to go to my village to cast my vote. I am so thrilled as I am going to cast my vote in an assembly election as a transgender. Every one of us has a past which we do not want to look back. When I revealed my identity for the first time, I faced several issues from my society. But my parents gave me full support. Things have changed a lot. People and authorities now understand our lives,” Nakshathra.
Sunilkumar K, father of transgender voter Anu S Kumar in Pathanamthitta, said he is staying away from their ancestral house with his daughter, who has become a transman now. “Relatives and local people were not ready to accept my child’s identity. This is his first assembly poll and we will go together and cast our votes,” said Sunil.