It was an enlightening and fruitful experience for students of S.N. College who participated in an awareness programme on transgenders here on Wednesday.
Numerous intriguing queries were posed by the students during the interactive session such as who are transgenders? Are they born transgenders? Can transpeople claim right to family property? Can they enter into a marital relationship? and so on.
Y. Narendran, a first year B.Sc Computer Science student of Saraswathi Narayanan College said the programme was really beneficial. Confusion about transgenders and their lives were cleared, he added.
Speaking about the misery of transgenders, J. Barathi Kannamma, a transgender activist said, “the society thinks that we are rude and lewd, but they must understand one thing that most transgenders are disowned by their families and it is the society which drives them into prostitution and begging.”
She responded to their questions and urged the students to spread the message about transgenders in the society in a positive way.
On the social stigma attached to the transgender community, Olga B. Aaron, a transgender activist and founder of Bravo, a Chennai-based NGO, said that the male-dominant society is one of the reasons for the discrimination against the transgender community.
StressShe stressed that nurturing plays a vital role in parenting of children with gender non-conformity. Family inclusion of transpeople would help them lead a dignified life, she added.
Around 150 students of S.N. College attended the programme as part of the NSS camp held in Kombadi village. Residents of the village also took part.
