If COVID-19 derailed the lives of those in the mainstream of the society, those inhabiting the margins of the society were worse hit.
Eighty transgenders led by Vidaigal Thirunangaigal Koottamaippu, an organisation run by and for transgenders, arrived at the Collectorate on Monday seeking house site pattas.
Housing has been the biggest challenge for transgenders, says Samundeswari, a transgender working with Vidaigal. Recounting how transgenders are forced to shell out double the amount as rents, wherever house-owners are forthcoming to let out house, Samundeswari says COVID-19 had taken away the ability of transgenders to keep up with their rent payment. “If a family of four is let out a house for ₹ 2,000, four transgenders are let out the same house for ₹ 4,000 or ₹ 6,000.
“After the pandemic, a lot of us are unable to pay rents. It has been our long-pending demand that the government provide us housing sites. May be in a year or two, under some scheme they could help us build a house. But now a patta will help us to even erect a thatched roof sheds to live,” she says.
There are over 350 transgenders in Hosur, Thally, Kelamangalam, Rayakottai and Shoolagiri. “Without housing, eking out a livelihood is far more difficult. Only a few managed to get jobs. But majority depend on collections from shops and sex work. After COVID-19 lockdown, these sources of income have stopped, pushing transgenders into poverty,” says Samundeswari.
Earlier, a team of 80 transgenders met District Collector Jaya Chandra Bhanu Reddy and their petition was forwarded to District Revenue Officer (DRO) Shanti. “District Collector has assured us help. The DRO had asked us to meet the Revenue Divisional Officer with necessary documents. We hope the administration will fulfil our demand,” says Samundeswari.