People from the transgender community are marking their presence in all mainstream professions in Kerala, the latest being Padma Lakshmi who enrolled as a lawyer.
Lakshmi, hailing from Kochi, is considered to be the first person from transgender community to enrol as a lawyer in Kerala. Lakshmi was among the 1,500 odd law graduates who enrolled at the Bar Council of Kerala at a function in Kochi on Sunday. Lakshmi made the first appearance at a local court in Kochi on Monday.
"It was indeed the support from my parents that helped me become a lawyer. My father and mother advised me to face life with positivity and courage. That has been my strength in overcoming the odd situations," Lakshmi told DH.
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Lakshmi, who did LLB at Government Law College in Kochi after graduating in physics, wishes to work for those facing injustice as well as the marginalised. "I took up the law profession as I wish to work for those being deprived of justice as well as the marginalised. I wish to work for people of all communities," Lakshmi said.
Lakhsmi's achievement has been widely hailed by many including Kerala law minister P Rajeeve who said in a social media post that it was a historic achievement. "Becoming the first person in various sectors is often challenging. There could be many hurdles and many would be discouraging. Hence Lakshmi scripted history by becoming the first person from transgender community to enrol as a lawyer in Kerala. Lakshmi will be an inspiration for many more from the transgender community to become lawyers," said Rajeeve, who himself is a lawyer.
Lakshmi is undergoing hormone therapy as part of the sex reassignment procedure.