Kerala's very first hostel for transgender students has been opened on the campus of Mahatma Gandhi University in Kottayam. The hostel, as a fulfillment of the community's long-standing request, was opened by State Social Justice Minister R Bindhu.
The hostel can currently accommodate six students, and officials hope that this initiative will encourage more members of the transgender community to pursue higher education.
Bindhu noted that the number of transgender students clearing the Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in the state has been steadily increasing. "The community faces many odds in life. We must ensure social support for them," she said.
The minister also pointed out that transgender individuals are frequently rejected by their own relatives, emphasising society's responsibility to provide them with support. The new hostel is set to alleviate the great difficulties they encounter in obtaining accommodation and meeting high rents.
A transgender student said the hostel facility in the university is a boon, as the community students are finding it difficult to get accommodation and also to meet the soaring rental amount.
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