Date:18/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/18/stories/2008071857850200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

More welfare schemes to help transgenders soon

Staff Reporter

Capacity building programme to be launched for them

“Allow us to coexist along with other members of society”
Avail yourself of counselling services, sex-reassignment surgeries: Minister

— Photo: K. Pichumani

A WORD OF ADVICE: Kanimozhi, MP, interacting with transgenders at a function held in Chennai on Thursday. Salma, chairperson, Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board is in the picture.

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Social Welfare Board has partnered with Madras Christian Council of Social Service, a non-governmental organisation, for undertaking a socio-economic survey and launching a capacity building programme for the transgender community.

Announcing this at a function here on Thursday, chairperson of the Board Salma said she had appealed to the Central Social Welfare Board to provide assistance following requests from the transgender community for such an intervention. In response, the central board had sanctioned Rs.2 lakh per month last month, she said.

“With this [funds], the TN Social Welfare Board through the NGO would identify the specific issues of the transgender community and evolve schemes accordingly,” she said.

Shakti Devi, a member of the transgender community, appealed to the Board to help uneducated transgendered persons find employment. She also urged the government not to give them houses in isolated or remote areas. “We also want to be part of mainstream society. Allow us to coexist along with other members of society,” she said.

Speaking at the meeting, Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan appealed to the transgender community members to come forward and avail themselves of ration cards and other entitlements which are in themselves empowering. She said they could also utilise the counselling services and sex-reassignment surgeries made available in medical colleges of Vellore and Kanyakumari.

Member of Parliament Kanimozhi urged transgendered persons to come out of their comfort zone and face the world with courage. Noting that the transgender were “more marginalised than women”, she said they should learn to expand their horizons by thinking beyond the concerns of their immediate world.

She recalled an incident when she had offered Asha Bharati of Tamil Nadu Aravanigal Association to make arrangement for funds if transgender persons would come forward to pursue higher studies. “But after several attempts she found that not many people were showing interest. This attitude won’t help,” she said.

Kanimozhi criticised those who condemned transgenders for indulging in commercial sex work but never spoke a word against their clients. She said now that the Tamil Nadu government had formed a welfare board exclusively for the transgendered, it was time they broke out of existing social barriers.