Transgender voters celebrate festival of democracy

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On Tuesday, Ranjini Pillai cast her vote at the booth in Government UP school Fort. With pride, she carried her identity card mentioning her as transgender. Ranjini was casting her vote after a long time.

"Earlier, I could see people giggling inside the polling booth, ridiculing me for my style of speaking and walking. Candidates, who would ever try to impress a child without any vote, won't speak to people like us. They would never seek our votes. It was different for the first time. We carried an ID card which gave an identity to us," said 39-year-old Ranjini, who is the president of Oasis Cultural Society and member of transgender justice board.

Not just Ranjini, 12 other transgender persons, all members of Oasis, cast their vote at Fort UP School booth.

Ranjini said all 48 transgender voters in Thiruvananthapuram constituency had exercised their right.

Transgender community members said that it was the first time they received a valid ID card. "Unlike the past where candidates and parties ignored us, representatives of all political parties came multiple times to Oasis seeking votes," Ranjini said.

Transgender persons were also an active presence in awareness campaigns of election commission.