Celebrations to mark International Transgender Day of Visibility held in Tiruppur

Collector S. Vineeth issuing a certificate to a transwoman who participated in the celebrations organised at the Collectorate in Tiruppur on Thursday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The Department of Social Welfare and the Tamil Nadu State Rural Livelihood Mission jointly organised celebrations to mark the International Transgender Day of Visibility at the Collectorate here on Thursday.

According to District Social Welfare Officer R. Ambika, over 100 transwomen from Tiruppur district participated in the celebrations. “We organised events like fashion show, cooking, elocution, singing and dance competitions for them,” she said.

Winners from each of these competitions received certificates from District Collector S. Vineeth. Further, 17 transwomen were provided with financial assistance of ₹50,000 each to start their own business and 10 transwomen received their identity cards.

“This is the first time we are organising these celebrations in Tiruppur,” Ms. Ambika said, adding that the Department of Social Welfare planned to organise such events every year to mark the Day in Tiruppur district.

Divya, one of the transwomen who participated in the event, told mediapersons that the participants were thankful to the officials for organising these celebrations to motivate the transgender persons.