Home India Kerala transgender couple to tie the knot next month

Kerala transgender couple to tie the knot next month

Hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, both underwent several rounds of surgeries to change their sex. Ishan quit regular school when he was in Class III. “After marriage, I will take Surya to my house. I want to start a business,’’ said Ishan.

Ishan and Surya.

A transman and transwoman in Kerala will get married next month, in perhaps the first such marriage in the state.

Ishan, a 33-year-old who has undergone female-to-male surgery, will tie the knot with 31-year-old Surya, who has undergone male-to-female surgery, on May 10 as per the Special Marriage Act. Both Ishan, a Muslim, and Surya, an upper-caste Hindu Nair, have the blessings of their families.

“We hope our marriage will be an inspiration for transgender people who want to lead a normal family life. A social life and marriage are our rights too. Our transgender community is keenly awaiting this marriage. I hope there will be lots of such marriages in future,’’ said Surya, who bagged one of the first voter IDs as a transwoman in Kerala during the last Assembly elections in 2016.

A familiar face of the transgender community in Kerala, Surya is a TV actor and member of the State Board for Transgender Justice. Ishan is a member of Oasis, a self-help group for transgenders. “After marriage, I will take Surya to my house, where I live with my parents. I want to start a business,’’ said Ishan. Hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, both underwent several rounds of surgeries to change their sex. Ishan quit regular school when he was in Class III.

“Then I was a girl who behaved like a boy. When the gender issue became complex, I had to quit school. For several years I was aloof at home. Later, my family realised I should be allowed to live,’’ said Ishan. “I went for surgery a year ago, after the marriage of two sisters.”

Surya had surgery four years ago. “I did it without informing my family, who were not keen on my decision to become a transwoman. Later they supported my decision,’’ Surya said.

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