What’s the story?
The first-ever athletics meet for transgenders was held on Friday at Thiruvananthapuram’s Central Stadium and at least 132 people from as many as 12 districts participated in it. Organised by the Kerala government and the Sexual and Gender Minority Federation (SGMF), the event saw athletes participating in popular track and field events such as sprint, relay race, long jump and shot put.
Sreekutty, President of the SGMF was quoted by The News Minute saying, "Apart from the participants, 200 people were also present at the stadium to egg on the athletes. And like any other sporting event, the audience played an active part in applauding and cheering."
In case you didn’t know…
Back in 2014, in a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court had ruled that under the law, transgenders had equal rights and were granted legal status to the third gender.
Kerala, on their part, took the initiative to promote equal rights for transgenders. Last year, in December, the first transgender school was opened in Kochi. In a bid to promote the well-being of the transgender community in the state, the Sexual and Gender Minority Federation (SGMF) had submitted a memorandum with several suggestions. The sports meet that was held yesterday was one of the suggestions.
The heart of the matter
The sports meet turned out to be a huge success. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric right from the outset as the crowd waited with anticipation and excitement.
Sreekutty, meanwhile, said that it was a proud moment for the transgender community of the state. While for many athletes it was exhilarating just to take part in the meet, for several others, it was the feeling of being accepted that was overwhelming.
After the events, there was also a prize distribution ceremony to award the winners for their accomplishments. The winning team was from the Mallapuram district.
Reactions
Author’s Take
It is heartening to see how times are changing. When the government takes such initiatives, it speaks volumes about India’s progressive attitude towards gender equality. The Kerala government should be lauded for its efforts to build an egalitarian society.
