Thiruvananthapuram: As a part of offering a safe adobe to transgender men in the state, the Kerala Social Justice Department has established a short-stay shelter home in Kunnukuzhy near here.
The state's first-of-its-kind facility, located in the heart of the state capital, was established with the support of 'Queerythm', a community-based outfit (CBO).
'Thanal', the transgender care home, is meant for transmen, the authorities said.
The care home would provide safe accommodation for transgender persons, undergoing sex-change surgeries, or other emergency situations, state Social Justice minister K K Shylaja has said.
In a recent Facebook post, she said it was the state's first short stay home for the marginalised group.
"The management of the care-home is entrusted with the 'Queerythm', CBO. They (transgenders) are offered free facilities like food, counselling, medical and legal aid etc. in this care home," she said.
Adequate staff have also been appointed for the smooth functioning of the short-stay home.
All the employees were transgenders and thus the care-home project had also helped provide employment to the marginalised community, the minister added in the FB post.
Bharat, a TG member and vice-president of 'Queerythm', said two inmates have already started staying at the care-home, where a manager and 6 employees are appointed for its management.
"Both the inmates have come here in search of a job and approached us for a safe stay. The facility can accommodate 25 persons...they can stay here for 3 months...if necessary, they can extend the period up to 6 months and not more than that," the transman told PTI.
Though Kerala was the first state to unveil a "Transgender Policy" to end social stigma towards them, the TG persons used to complain that they were neither welcomed in hostels nor accepted as paying guest.
Many of them were forced to spend nights at bus stands and railway stations due to the absence of a safe abode.
The recent death of a transwoman near a bus stand in Kozhikode district under mysterious circumstance had evoked widespread concerns about their safety.
(With inputs from PTI)
