Who we are
Transgender Resource Center [TRC] was established in the year 2016, by Ms. Priyababu, a transwoman social activist,Writer,Director who struggled and succeeds in getting voting rights for transgender in India. She founded TRC, a non profit organization to bring a social change through transformative education and
promoting researches on trans studies. It is registered under Tamilnadu Trust act. It has 12A, 80G & CSR number.
The Center administers support services, resources, programs, advocacy training, education and consultation to community members, students, parents, research scholars, and officials of private and public sectors. The center acts a nerve center for sources regarding trans studies like books, articles, research dissertations, paper clips and visual documents like short films, documentary films etc. Many students and research scholars hailing from various disciplines are benefitted through the resources for their research and internships.
The transgender community of India is known by several names: Hijras, Pavaiyas or Kothi, Aravanis, Thirunar. What is so striking about them is their existence as a community that provides them a social identity. Aravani is the transgender community of Tamil Nadu and they are a social entity whose members live together as a family.
The family relationships are constructed through socially accepted and required rituals and membership is accepted by the entire community, referred to as Jamaat. Aravani community possesses a detailed history and evidence of this can be found in ancient literature and oral traditions.
One of the most ethnic & oldest literature in the World, Tamil literature, mention about Transgender in their so considered first literature Tholkappiam. Various literary works in Tamil such as Seevaga Chintamani, Silapathigaram, Divakara Nigandu have mentioned the presence of Transgender in ancient history.
To Impart Knowledge about TG to achieve equal opportunities
- Better livelihood opportunities
- Help to work with the hegemonic group
- Increase self-worth & acceptance
- Motivated to make better life decisions
- Create an inclusive platform to construct a secular society.
Some Facts
The transgender community of India is a social entity which has detailed history and evidence can be found in ancient literature and oral traditions. The history discloses the fact that they have given a reputed status in society and in court as well. Indian transgender community members, by default, exhibit artistic talents and many have taken arts as their main livelihood. They perform various theatrical acts, songs and dance performances during the times of festivals and ceremonies, In north India, it is considered that transgenders are a symbol of luck and boon and they are invited for all the celebrations.
Despite, all these favorable scenarios, the transgender community still face stigma and discrimination for their gender identity by their family and society. Most of the transgender turn to be school drop-outs as a result of such discriminations at their tender age primarily due to the self-realization of their identity and expressing it. No transgender individual is an exception as a victim of harassments and abuses from society. The change in the vision of the society in recent years provides the community to make its own successive paths.
