Over 60 transgenders have applied for voters' id cards in Kerala.
33-year-old Jenson in Kerala, a first time voter has been proudly flashing his 'inked finger'. He says he refused to vote all these years because being a transgender, he never felt like voting as a male or female. But the state included transgenders as a separate category in this year's civic elections.
"I was very happy when I got this voters' Identification card with transgender specified on it. It's a big thing to be able to get this in Kerala. But still, if I go around flashing this, revealing my identity as a transgender, I still don't get jobs." says Jenson, a resident of Ernakulam.
According to the State Election Commission, a little over 60 transgenders have applied for voters' ID cards. Many are still struggling to come out in the open and exercise their rights because of social stigma.
19-year-old transgender Vishnu, a researcher by profession, believes that if a card as important as a voter's ID acknowledges their gender, it may help change things for the better.
Vishnu, who is now waiting his voter's ID card to arrive, told NDTV, "A voters' ID card, which acknowledges our gender will go a long way in helping us to be included in the society. It will help many transgenders to come out in the open with confidence without being mocked."