In November 2023, I taught a Masterclass to MSW students at California State University Northridge on "Social Work for Urban Under Represented Communities".

I taught a Masterclass to MSW students from California State University Northridge on  "Social Work for Urban Under Represented Communities". 

I taught them innovative activism and how to represent and uphold the rights and bring the issues of silenced and underrepresented communities to the mainstream for social justice. 

I cited so many examples of my early activism work through video films, storytelling and performing arts which were very successful. 

'My Mother' a short documentary film by Sowndharya Gopi was also screened at the class room to teach them on amplifying the voices of underrepresented issues of transgender persons. This film was particularly about the relationship of mothers and their transgender daughters which was so beautiful. The film was a result of giving a Handycam to Sowndharya in 2010 and encouraging her to film her life and her friends. She brought such a small but very powerful film.

My experiences as an activist in using available tools for activism successfully and not really considering financial support as a block for creative activism was a very important lesson the MSW students learned from me in the Masterclass. 

I also spoke about using AI art for activism and my concept of transgender food festivals which were a super bringing visibility and opportunities to transgender catering entrepreneurs. 

I feel honored to share my experience and knowledge as an activist to American and international students.  

Young India - My journeys in teaching gender diversity and gender equality to our children

The importance of teaching Indian Children to celebrate and respect Gender Diversity and Gender Equality and how teachers have a major role to play...

Kalki speaks to students of Mont fort International School - 2011

 If we need to create a safe and respectable future for our young trans and non-binary Indians, we need to start the right education from schools for inclusiveness.

If Indian schools want their students to be the best, they must teach students to be compassionate, inclusive, open-minded and humane with higher values. They must teach the children about gender equality and gender diversity and it must be a priority in Indian schools.  It must be included as a part of the education curriculum.

Traveling around India speaking, advocating for transgender people's rights and sensitizing thousands of university and college students, I strongly believe, if we want our children to be confident and exercise their rights of equal opportunities fearlessly, if we need to curb the violence against women, if we need to stop rape, if we want our young men to value women and womanhood, then we MUST teach the young Indians about gender diversity and gender equality. I always say in my speeches, 'A society which respects and values women, will respect and value transgenders and third gender people'. If today's youngsters have the right knowledge about genders, they will treat women as equals and not as objects of pleasure and to be used and discarded.

Kalki is welcomed by the school authority at Mont Fort

It pains me to see transgender people beg for money from the shop to shop, in the trains and public utilities. It pains me to see them queuing up to pick up clients for sex work. The majority of them are not qualified enough to go for a better job and have a better livelihood. The livelihood opportunities are very limited, the major reason is that majority of the transgender population are school dropouts. They are unqualified to pursue white-collar jobs. The only well paying profession is sex work. So they opt for it. Eventually, they are unable to come out of this vicious circle and continue to do this till they are wanted.

If India needs to change, the teachers can be the catalysts of change.  I have an urgency about addressing the desperate situation of teenagers at school who may be gender non conforming. I prioritize it as of higher importance.

 In their Approach Paper on Education and Employment opportunities & Challenges for Transgender presented to the Ministry of Social Justice, Government of India, Dr Rajesh (Head) and MD Aslam Naved(Research Scholar), Faculty of Social Science from University of Delhi have mentioned the following:
"Absence of community sensitive teachers: Influenced by predominant norms and values of society, teachers accused transgender persons. The insensitivities of teachers and staff towards the community have an adverse impact on the mainstream transgender persons in educational institutes. The teachers and staff do not have adequate knowledge and sensitivities about the community to support the transgender community in making education accessible and mainstream them into the system. The transgender person who is already excluded from the family and society does not find any support with the teachers and therefore forced to discontinue the education in between."

Today the society looks so cheaply on transgender people who beg and do sex work. Do you know that we, transgenders, too were children once upon a time, we were teased, bullied or even abused at schools, rejected by our parents. Many of us wanted to continue schools and graduate, but those dreams were shattered, left in the vicious lurch of darkness with a very uncertain and insecure future.

Gender Diversity - an art by Kalki Subramaniam

If only those children were not bullied at schools, if the teachers had been supportive and caring towards them, if the families had accepted them as they are, they would not be living this lower self-esteemed life, this feeling of being an outcast, this feeling of worthlessness would not have been there at all.

We keep creating generations of transgender beggars and sex workers by denying their opportunities. It is time we stopped it, the law and government are gearing towards helping those transgenders by legally recognizing us and passing bills at the houses for those who live in shackles to claim their space for equal opportunities at all spheres like any other citizen of India.

Group photo after the seminar on Gender diversity at Mont Fort International School, 2011

 Law can protect us, but how far can law or a bill change the stigmatizing behavior of the society? Can the government or judiciary bring the change in the mindset of a common man? How long will it take?

Encouraging students to understand Gender Diversity through art

As a mother who could never be one biologically, and as a citizen of this country, I care to protect our gender non conforming children from stigma and discrimination and ensure a very safe, secure and happy life for them. I do not want to see another generation of beggars and sex workers. To achieve this challenging goal, it is of great importance to teach our children about gender diversity and gender equality. But how do we do it?

Kalki with the faculties and staff of Montfort school - 2011

We do it in schools. Do we educate students? Yes, but before that, we must educate the teachers. We, the people who work for the rights of gender non conforming people and transgenders, must consider the issue as prime importance and work on educating the teachers in schools all across India.

For the past nine years, I have spoken at a number of academic institutions, colleges, and universities across the country on transgender rights. Students and academicians raise all sorts of interesting questions on gender diversity and I answer them all. I think educating the educators is of prime importance presently as they need to completely understand the spectrum and fluidity of gender identity and sexual orientation. This understanding will help them to educate the students in the schools about gender diversity so that the students understand that "It is okay to be different" and will be tolerant and understanding those who are gender non conforming or transgender.

I was invited by a pioneering academic institution the Montfort International School in Yercaud. I visited the school in 2011 and again in 2013 for a special lecture to the students on gender diversity. Speaking to students about gender diversity is a very challenging task. You need to get into their mindsets, speak in their language without being offensive and tough. It was challenging for me but not for them. However, I was very successful in making them understand that gender is a spectrum and we must be open-hearted to accept everyone as who they are. They clearly understood my message, threw me all sorts of questions with a very humane and broad perspective. For me, as an activist, it was the richest and the most satisfying experience I had. Children are pure, more balanced, and more open compassionate, and friendly than most adults I have seen.


The love and affection children show me is something I can't explain. They make me go breathless with their showers of sweetness. They have no reservations to accept me as I am. They see me as a person, not as a transgender. Isn't that awesome?
Isn't that great? If we teach them to be tolerant, compassionate, inclusive, look at things from a humane perspective, accept people as they are, not being bias with gender, caste, religion, race, skin color, economic value, or health.

Where do they teach this education? I want to go back to a school where I can unlearn so many things I was taught and learn afresh. If children love me for the person I am if they are able to see me beyond my 'transgender' identity, why is it so hard for adults to do it? Aren't the adult minds saturated with the poison of hatred and prejudice? When these people's children grow up, these prejudices are slowly passed onto them and their mindsets to become narrow and short.

A teacher has a major role to play in teaching boys and girls to respect each other and acknowledge their equal space. Likewise, a teacher has a major role in making the children understand that India is not only a country with many languages, cultures, traditions and religions, India had a history in being tolerant, in accepting the different identities of genders of people and respecting their space in the society.

It is important to educate the teachers on gender diversity. Followed by Montfort, I had spoken at Vishwasanthi Vidyalaya Matriculation school at Kotagiri and also at the remote Nilgiris place Kil Kotagiri Government higher secondary school. Unlike Montfort, where children from economically sound families study, the students of Kil Kotagiri Government Higher Secondary School come from poor families from the surrounding small villages. Children are children everywhere. I was touched by their keenness in understanding transgender people's rights and place in the society. The boys came up with so many questions on the social status of the transgender people. They were concerned about bringing solutions to poor transgender people's problems. That noble thought of their was overwhelming me.

Chennai is the most tolerant city for transgender people in Tamilnadu, yet schools of Chennai had not taken up the issue of transgender to be discussed at school, and have yet to organize sessions on Gender Diversity. State Bank Officers Association School was one of the first schools in Chennai to organise such a sensitizing program on gender diversity for its students. I will be happy if other schools begin to organize such events and invite speakers to educate the students and faculties.

Kalki talks to students at Kil Kotagiri Higher Secondary School

I appeal schools to:

• Invite gender activists to speak on gender equality.
• Invite transgender rights activists to speak to students about gender diversity and transgender issues.
• Organize sensitization and awareness programs for teachers, faculties and school staff on gender diversity and understanding gender non conforming students, handling bullying and being supportive to gender non conforming students.
• Screen films that teach children on gender diversity and gender equality.

Educatng Gender Diversity: Kalki Subramaniam with the students of SBOA School, Chennai

Dear reader, the Change can be brought only by people like you and me. Let us be the catalysts of change. Visit our website Sahodari Foundation. Support Sahodari Foundation's initiatives. Please visit www.sahodari.org to know all our work for the transgender community.

Write to me : aurokalki@gmail.com

Resources and reference links:

Transgender children - an article by Kalki Subramaniam in Orinam.net

Transgender activist stresses education for empowerment - The Hindu

Rights of Trangender persons Bill 2014 India

Kalki Subramaniam on Gender Diversity - Speech at IIT Madras

Tamil Nadu Schools to Invite Transgender Activists and Counselors to Take Gender Identity Sessions

International Transgender Day of Visibility Message March 31st 2020

I got a message for you. Today is the International Day of Transgender Visibility. The day we celebrate our pride as trans and non binary people, we celebrate our heroes and heroines who fought for our rights all over the world. We inspire young people o stand up against gender based violence. This year it is different and I urge you to support our transgender community across the world as we join hands with you to fight and eradicate Covid-19 from the world.



#TDOV #TransgenderDayOfVisibility #Covid19

என் பாலின மாறுபாட்டை என் குடும்பத்தில் எப்படி சொல்வது? - கல்கி சுப்ரமணியம்

Coming out to your family - Kalki Subramaniam

A guide for Gender non conforming people - Guide video 1 - by Kalki Subr...

This workshop is helping desperate transgender youth become proud young leaders

From fear and dejection to confidence and hope, these young transgender women walked out with pride of who they are. 

April 25th, 2019. Sahodari Foundation with aid support from Rotary Club of Coimbatore Texcity and Groupon India began a major step in reaching out to desperate and deserving young transgender people and offering them a very useful and powerful youth leadership workshop which will lead them to empower their lives. I conceived the workshop to identify and groom young transgender persons in India to pursue their dreams of living with dignity and happiness, a life away from the melancholy of begging and sex work.

My idea came to a reality when I was invited to speak at Rotary Club of Coimbatore Texcity for speaking at their weekly meeting to its board members where I met Rotarian Suji Somasudaram of Rotary Club of Coimbatore Texcity who introduced me to the president of the club Rtn.Phf. Senthil Kumar.K, secretary and Rtn. MD.Vijayakumar.S.
My idea of a leadership workshop was immediately accepted as the club had the idea of conducting an RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) for transgender youth. Both the ideas were similar, just the names different.

In a week's time, it became a reality. All thanks to the Rotary Club which came forward to support 70% of the costs for conducting this event. The rest 30% was funded by Sahodari Foundation.

After quite a successful outreach, all the 20 seats were registered in a week's time. Participants came from Kerala and Tamilnadu, from places as far as Chennai and Kannur. The program was conceptualized by Kalki and each segment, its activity, and the invited speakers was carefully selected to give only the best knowledge and positive messages that will have a deep impact on the young trans people.

My purpose was to change their mindsets from desperation and fear to hope and confidence. Though she has offered several workshops for the transgender community, this was the first time a full-fledged leadership workshop was initiated.

Kalki Subramaniam speaks

Rotary Club of Coimbatore Texcity was so open and welcoming in conducting an RYLA for TransYouth. On April 25th, 2019 at 9.30 a.m, the workshop was inaugurated with Rtn. K.A Kuriachan as the chief guest of the event. The president of the Club, the secretary, and board members were present during the inauguration. Mr.kuriachan told the importance of equality, unity, strength, and believing in oneself,  he guided transgenders towards confidence, self-love, and being strong. Special invitees A.Revathi and Olga Aaron were presiding the event. All the participants were excited about the day. Later the Rotarians of the club left wishing the participants their best wishes.

The workshop started with my speech on the purpose of the workshop and how it is meant to help, support, and empower the lives of participants. Though a one day workshop, I wanted to utilize every moment of time to its utmost potential. So I requested to participants to be conscious of time and give their focus 100 percent.

Hugs of Trust

After self-introductions of everyone and moved on to two groups, the young persons were grouped as four and were assigned to senior transgender leaders for trusting and opening their hearts to speak out their major personal hurdles and seek out advice from them. The mentorship started with trust-building, experience sharing and nonjudgemental genuine advice seeking. That was the most important opening session of the day since the participants spoke and we mentors listened.

In the next session, the participants present were seated in the circle they were encouraged to speak openly about their life backgrounds, giving us a picture in which ways each one of them needed help, support and guidance in shaping their future.

Everyone in the room hugged each other bringing an assurance that they were not alone and provoked unity in the trans community. The guest speaker of the afternoon first session Mr. Ramesh taught the participants on the art of living with clean mental and physical state through yoga and meditation practices. This session was directed to be a part of the powerful human change through discipline and yoga practices for better and conscious living.

Transgender activist, writer, and theatre personality A.Revathi narrated her painful yet inspiring life story and the oddities she faced and how it made her weak, and facing it with courage made her strong and a leader among the community. The next session was followed by Mr.Arun Balakirishna bringing the participants great fun and laughter with some amusing brain and physical games which made the participants bend their body and mind.

Bridget speaks on the power of creativity

Art curator and administrator of Art Houz Bridget Shibu Thomas of Jennys Club of Coimbatore gave a powerful talk about being non judgment about one's own creativity. She listed why self-criticism is useless and show the power of practice brings perfection.

I was constantly motivating the participants, encouraging them to speak out, address their issues, and inspired them not to think themselves as a victim of circumstances but to be strong, challenging, and design our own destinies with the right decisions and how to take that right decision.

The last session of the day was conducted by transgender youth and upcoming artist V.Kanchana. She asked the participants to dream of their ideas of themselves in five years. They were encouraged to visualize their life and dreams. some of them want to be a mother, a model, a dancer, a winner, a leader, and just like they all have their own ideas of love and life they can be human resources in society.

At the conclusion of the workshop, Ms. Olga Aaron shared her speech about how it is important for transgender persons to understand the rights and duties and to have dignity. She spoke on the importance of law in society, to create a secure place in workplaces including private and government sectors for trans people. She talked about the human rights and constitutional violations against the transgender community that has been in practice since the history of the community of transgender people.

Sara visualizes her dream of becoming a Television presenter

Participating in this workshop is a big step towards a good and healthy life they wish for, they take courage, hope, and leadership skills with them. Along with me, Mr. Kurianchan and Ms. Olga invited the participants and offered them certificates to recognize their participation in the workshop.

That evening they left with pride and lots of friendships to nourish and cherish their lives a very very long time. Bondings and inspirations that will inspire and uplift their lives.

Sahodari Foundation will reach out to more and more trans youth and support them through a series of these workshops in the future.

Our sincere thanks to Groupon and Rotary Club of Texcity Coimbatore for their support. Groupon's Aid will help us to do a series of workshops this year for the transgender youth to empower their lives. 

Visit our website www.sahodari.org


Report: Kalki Subramaniam With inputs from Chinasha Notiya