In an effort to mainstream Transgenders, the district administration has taken a major initiative and has provided them an opportunity to be part of a home products exhibition organised by Women's Project in the city.
The exhibition under way at Pudhu Mandapam for the first time has a stall owned by Transgenders attached to Tamil Nadu AIDS Initiative (TAI) Vizhudhugal Federation, Madurai. They have put up a stall selling snacks and savouries and it occupies the first place from the entrance.
The exhibition has 20 stalls put up by members of various women's self-help groups (SHG) in the city and a lone stall put up by a SHG from Dindigul district. The exhibition has a varied range of handicrafts, handlooms, utility products, homemade items, dry fruits, dolls, bags, indigenous health drinks and other everyday use products.
However, two stalls have caught the attention of many visitors and especially the foreigners — one was a stall selling ‘kolam' stencils of various patterns, and another was the stall were application of Mehndi was being done.
The visitors' feedback was that they were happy to see an exhibition organised exclusively for women and transgenders to sell their products. However many said that they would like to see a bigger exhibition with many number of women participating.
I. Shantini, a transgender attached to TAI at the stall said, “We are happy that the Collector has taken this effort to provide us an opportunity. Transgenders today are beginning to emerge from the severe stigma to which they have been subjected to in the past. Today they are in the midst of claiming their space and rights and these efforts boost us to be part of the mainstream and fight for our rights.”
The exhibition was inaugurated by Collector U. Sagayam in the presence of R. Ganesan, Project Officer / Joint Director, Women's Project-Madurai, on Saturday. On the occasion, Mr. Sagayam handed over cheques and orders to 10 members of transgender community to avail loans worth Rs.60, 000 with a subsidy of Rs.12, 000 each.
The exhibition and related events were organised by Karthigai Selvi, Manager, District Supply and Marketing Society, Madurai, besides Assistant Project Officers Nagarathnam, Tamilarasan, Maharajan, and Thenraj. The exhibition will be open till March 30 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
