Muneef Khan By Express News Service BENGALURU: A driving force for the rights of the transgender community in the country, activist Kalki Subramaniam once again brought the issue of censorship of the human body to the centre stage on Saturday at a panel discussion held at Equal – Voices For A Common Humanity. Subramaniam, who has actively advocated for the recognition of legal rights for transgender people since 2005, recalls the past decade of her journey as a crucial period with respect to the rights of transgenders.“The transgender rights movement began in Tamil Nadu. The political ideology in the state is also based on equality, which also saw the formation of a transgender welfare board along with social changes in the community,” she said. Referring to the Supreme Court verdict in 2015 that recognised the transgender community as a third gender, Subramaniam emphasises that the struggle is still active and there is a long way ahead. “The SC had insisted on the reservation for trans-people and sought answers from the government but even the most recent implementation has no mention of it. We are still struggling for our rights and identity as a community,” she added. Over the years, Subramaniam has trained various transgenders in the field of community journalism and has further encouraged them to document their stories to the world. The initiative is aimed towards changing the perception of the young generation towards gender equality and the rights of transgenders. “The transgender community has faced worse situations but we learn to fight. When you look at the reversal of rights, transgenders in the United States have been suffering but in India, it’s comparatively better. We as a community need to continue fighting and that’s required at this point,” she said. As a transgender activist, Subramaniam’s work has brought gradual change, which has been met with support and courage. Her focus in the near future is solely dedicated to the betterment of the community. “I aim to focus on artistic projects, which will create more opportunities for the transgenders. We want our community to be the creators and not participants,” said Subramaniam.

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