Finally identified as a citizen, Heena, 45, a transgender from Goa, will be casting her vote for the first time this election, making it a giant leap towards inclusion for thecommunityin Goa.
It is every persons right to vote and we are entitled to select the leader of our choice as well. It has made us very happy to be included,
While members of the transgender community have been participating in elections using their male registeredvoterIDs all these years, this is the first time that some of them will be casting their votes under their recognised identity after the Supreme Court declared them thethirdgender in 2014.
They were motivated to vote following an initiative undertaken by Anyay Rahit Zindagi (ARZ), an organisation combating human trafficking. Seven from South Goa and two from North Goa enrolled themselves on the electoral roll under the thirdgendercategory.