KOZHIKODE: One day, she may understand the battles her parents fought to claim their place in the world.
For now, three-year-old Zabiya is looking forward to something far simpler: dancing beside her mother. On Thursday evening, the little girl will take her place beside Ziya Paval, not merely as a daughter accompanying her mother, but as a young performer stepping into a world that has been a part of her home.
For Ziya, a well-known dancer and dance teacher in Kozhikode representing the transgender community, the moment carries an emotion that goes far beyond a stage performance. After a journey marked by public scrutiny, social prejudice and a fight for recognition as a family, she is now preparing to share the spotlight with her daughter to celebrate their love for dance.
The mother-daughter duo will perform a 10-minute bharatanatyam kacheri at Rasikaranjini Sabha in Kozhikode at 7.30pm on Thursday, as part of the Kalaka Navaratri Dance Festival 2026 organised by Dr Harshan’s OHM School of Dance.
“My daughter has watched me dance everywhere, be it at home or at the academy. I believe this developed an interest in dance in her,” Ziya told TNIE. Ziya first encouraged Zabiya to join a short dance item when she was barely two.
It gradually grew into more serious preparation, with the toddler now practising alongside her mother for the upcoming presentation. “Watching her practise with me day and night has surprised me. I also feel immensely proud that we could introduce her to the world of dance,” Ziya said.
Ziya and her partner, Zahad Fazil, made national headlines in February 2023 when Zahad, a transgender man, gave birth to their child. The couple’s decision to embrace parenthood while navigating their respective gender-transition journeys had drawn widespread attention, curiosity and criticism at the time.
The couple had paused hormone therapy during pregnancy as they pursued their dream of having a child. The birth of Zabiya brought them immense happiness, but the journey did not end there. The family subsequently faced a prolonged struggle to have their identities recognised in official records. In April 2026, after nearly three years, the couple secured a gender-neutral birth certificate for their daughter, replacing the conventional ‘mother’ and ‘father’ with the inclusive ‘parents’.
Zahad, currently working at a company in Chennai, will miss the performance in Kozhikode. “We do not have any specific expectations for our daughter. We want her to pursue whatever she loves in life without anyone obstructing her or holding her back. She should have the freedom to live happily, without fear of the world or the people around her,” she said.
