Kerala to host first sports meet exclusively for transgenders
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala will hold an exclusive day-long transgender athletic meet, a first in the country, at the central stadium here on April 28.
The event reflects the state’s policy to stop the social stigma and ostracism that the “hijra” — the word covering most Indian languages to refer to eunuchs and transsexuals — has been facing since British colonial times.
At least 100 athletes, representing the southern state’s 14 districts, are expected to participate. The majority of participants will be those who identify neither as male or female, but as members of a third gender — a group comprising transvestites, transsexuals, and castrated men.
“We are excited. The event is expected to reveal fresh talents. Talent is generally suppressed in the community and this is an opportunity to showcase it,” said transgender athlete Sreekutty, who had competed and won in the boys section of a districtlevel meet.
Hijras have been around in India since ancient times, often assigned the most sensitive task of guarding royal women. But their social marginalisation happened during the British rule.
Over time, hijra became an insulting word and members of the community were forced to eke out meagre incomes from ceremonies, begging and sex work, and became the target of vicious attacks.
Kerala took the initiative in 2015 to formulate a transgender policy, aimed at ending the discriminatory treatment.
The state set up a transgender justice board to deal with their complaints, and a separate column, called intersex, was introduced in the birth and death registration form. Also, it was made mandatory for all government buildings to have separate washrooms for the third sex.
The athletic meet, organised by the state sports and youth affairs department, is a step to complement the reforms. The state sports council has pledged support to the event.