From their inclusive schools to their progressive fashion sector, Kerala is known for being streets ahead when it comes to gender equality, and this week, they solidified that status yet again. Even though transgender individuals have gained rights and recognition they’re still sidelined in the sporting world. This is unsurprising as sports have always remained a male domain and when even women were excluded, transgenders had very little chance. This is especially true for the state’s most beloved sport, football.
That preconception was shattered however, when the Yuvasamithi – the youth wing of the Kerala Sasthra Sahitya Parishad (KSSP) came together to organise a gender neutral football match. The five-a-side tournament was designed to boost transgender rights as well as gender equality with two boys, two girls and one transgender member on each team. “We got the idea of conducting such an event from Scribes (another youth organization) as they are going to stage an all-Kerala gender-neutral football tournament in Malappuram next month.” said Amritha T.S., a member of Yuvasamithi, Kasaragod.

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