In a first in the State, a transgender student competed in a dance contest in a university interzone arts festival.
The audience at Wayanart-2019, Calicut University Inter-zone Arts Festival, being held at St. Mary’s College, Sulthan Bathery, received Riya Isha, the dancer, with loud applause on Saturday.
“I wore the ankle bells to secure the rights of transgender students in the country,” says Riya. When folk dance competition for girls’ and boys’ categories were completed, Riya performed folk dance in ‘other category.’ There was no contest in this category since she was the only performer. After the performance, she appeared on the stage again after a short while and revealed to the audience her reason to perform .
“I danced on all stages, including the C zone art festival at Malappuram, by revealing my identity as a transgender,” she said.
“I am paving the way for budding transgender students in Kerala’s schools and colleges. A transgender should have equal rights and should be given opportunities to compete with other genders in all sphere,” Riya said.
Riya is a first year BA (Economics) student of Government College, Malappuram. The college has assigned a toilet for its sole trans student. Riya also demanded reservation for trans students in NCC. A graduate in fashion designing and a fashion designer by profession, Riya is now pursuing her second graduation.