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Kochi youth's viral FB post on transgender teacher rakes up debate

  • Asy Aseeb Puthalath raises a few important questions related to the LGBT situation in Kerala
  • In his detailed and well-written post, Asy takes the example of his former college teacher
  • Transgender community in Kerala is finally starting to become part of the mainstream society
youth facebook post viral transgender college teacher

A Facebook post by a Kochi youth on his transgender college teacher has gone viral, with majority of the reactions coming in support of the LGBT community.

In his detailed and well-written post, Asy Aseeb Puthalath, who hails from Perumbavoor in Ernakulam, takes the example of his former teacher and raises a few important questions related to the LGBT situation in Kerala.

Asy talks about Umesh, a teacher who taught them the paper Optimisation in college. Despite Umesh being a good teacher, the students - both male and female - used to make fun of him, imitate him, gave him unflattering nicknames because he appeared feminine. Years later, Asy saw him on TV, now dressed a woman and going by the name Anu.

Asy raises a few important questions like how long would Anu have had to wait before she finally came out, how we as a society stopped her from becoming who she wanted to be and what all she would have had to go through to reach there. The post ends with Asy stating he is now proud to say that his teacher was a  transgender.

Also read: Kerala takes a step forward hires, 23 transgenders for Kochi Metro

The FB post and the widespread support it found gains importance at a time when the transgender community in the state is finally starting to become part of the mainstream society. Kerala is gradually becoming a role model for other Indian states through it's treatment of the transgender community, the latest of which was providing employment to 23 transgenders with the Kochi Metro.

However, it's been a long journey for Kerala. Till a few years ago, incidents of transgenders being humiliated or beaten up publicly were common in the state. Transpersons were frowned upon, snubbed, hated and excluded, and were considered only as sex workers. From there to becoming the first Indian state to introduce a transgender policy, to organising beauty pageants and athletic meets for transpersons, and now providing employment in the government sector, the signs are promising.

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