After decades of battle for a place to build their houses, 33 transgender families finally found light at the end of the tunnel in 2006. Their protests and cries reached the ears of the rulers. Just over two acres of land was identified in the outskirts of Kanchipuram town, 75 kilometres from Chennai, and they were asked to move in.
But a place to rest does not mean peace and dignity.
On Monday afternoon, when the very severe cyclonic storm Vardah struck the coast of north Tamil Nadu, about 15 transgender women in this settlement of Thirunangai Nagar (Thirunangai in Tamil refers to transgender) were scampering for help. In matter of minutes, thatched roofs of their homes were blown away in the 120 kilometres per hour winds.
Fearing injury, all of them decided to huddle together inside the only house with a solid asbestos roof.
Hours later when they tried to reach out for help to feed themselves, the community around them flatly refused to come to their aid.
“We do not know when they will treat us like humans,” one of the transwomen said, picking up vessels from a house ransacked by nature’s fury.
No help
Vatchala, a transgender woman, said they collect money from local traders...
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