Tamil Nadu Transgender Student Told To Leave Nursing Course Halfway Because Of Her Sexuality

At a time when there are conscious efforts to integrate sexual minorities to the mainstream of the society, and many have shown with their own lives how social acceptance is a key for integration, a news coming from Tamil Nadu once again reiterates how difficult it is for the system to change.

The only fault of Tamilselvi was she is a transgender. Born with a male body, she underwent sex reassignment surgery in 2015 after realising her true sexuality. A bright student at the school who scored? 757 marks in Class XII, she wanted to study further and bring an end to the life struggle of her and her mother.

BCCL/ Representational Image

So she, along with her mother worked as domestic help?and managed to save some money, which she used to get admission in a nursing college in Vellore.?

But her dream was short lived. Just one month after the admission the college, Tamilselvi was told she cannot continue her studies as "only female candidates are eligible to apply for Diploma in Nursing courses.”

According to the New Indian Express, as per the Tamil Nadu Nursing Council which has to register all students joining nursing courses there was no separate column for transgender.?

BCCL/ Representational Image

Tamilselvi then tried registering herself as a female student, but the directorate refused to enroll her under the category. Not just that, the college is now even refusing to refund the Rs 30,000 Tamilselvi had paid at the time of joining the course.