The Regional Science Centre and Planetarium, Kozhikode, is organising “Transform”, a fraternising session with transgender individuals at the centre on July 1. The session, that comes with the tagline “A walk beyond the gender binary”, will be opened by District Collector S.Sambasiva Rao at 10.30 a.m.
“The centre has always stood for inclusiveness. After connecting with the prison inmates and residents of children’s homes, this is our attempt to connect to a community that has never been addressed”, said Manash Bagchi, director of the Science Centre.
An interactive session between transwoman Sheethal Shyam and other successful members of the community with a few students of social work is the highlight of the event. “The students need to know that a human being cannot be fitted into any particular anatomy or mental orientation. Everyone is regular and normal in their own way”, Mr.Bagchi said.
It is, in turn, an attempt to extend the support of the centre to the transgender community. “We plan to honour those from the community who went back to school. We also plan to customise some of our educational programmes for them”, he said.
“By My Side”, a documentary film on the transgender community by P.Abhijith will be screened on the occasion, followed by a tour of the various shows in the centre for the members of the community. A magic show by Pradeep Hudino and a liquid nitrogen show are the added attractions.
The event is being organised in association with Punarjani Cultural Society and Sahodari Cultural Centre. More than 80 members of the transgender community are expected to take part in the event.
“This is an open space. They need to realise that this space belongs to them too.”, Mr.Bagchi said.
