Transwoman in Kerala Harassed, Social Media Comes to Rescue

Over the last three months, trans woman Sajana Shaji from Kerala was selling Biryani to manage her expenses. She had taken loans from grocery stores and meat shops to sell the Biriyani. Sajana had even managed to offer employment to four other trans women and a few youths who had lost their jobs due to COVID-19. But from the past one month, the group was being relentlessly harassed and abused by shopkeepers in the neighbourhood, resulting in a massive loss of business for them. Sajana then took to Facebook and posted a video pleading for help from the public. Sajana’s video soon caught people’s attention and thereafter help poured in from everywhere. According to reports, there were allegations that the police didn’t take any action based on the complaint submitted by Sajana earlier to her FB post. Kerala’s health minister KK Shailaja promised police protection as well as immediate financial assistance to her under the ‘We Care’ project of the Kerala Social Security Mission. “Transgender persons have equal rights like other citizens. No one will be allowed to harass them,” the minister said.