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Just about a year after they got married, Akkai Padmashali, a trans woman, and her partner Vasu have broken the norms yet again. The couple registered their marriage in Bengaluru, and Akkai reportedly became the first transgender person in Karnataka to have done so.
They applied for the registration in December last year and it came through within the stipulated period of 30 days, on Tuesday, 23 January 2018.
The couple were accompanied to the sub-registrar’s office in KR Puram by family and friends from the transgender community. Akkai said it was great to have a mixed group of people with them, and that while the process was long-drawn due to the paperwork, everyone had been supportive.
But Akkai Padmashali’s fight is not over yet.
To see this dream come true, Padmashali has launched a fundraiser campaign on the popular crowdfunding website, Ketto.org.
“We have managed to collect Rs. 7 lakhs with the help of friends and family, but today, need your love and unconditional support. I need Rs. 15 lakhs, and you can make this a possible for me!” she adds.
Vasu had proposed marriage to Akkai multiple times over the course of their relationship. However, Akkai had apprehensions about domestic violence at the time, which is why she turned him down.
Akkai said that now she does not face any issues apart from the usual bureaucratic hurdles.
Other southern states do not appear to have documented cases of transgender persons registering their marriage.
Activists told The News Minute that many do not even want to make their relationships public because of the social stigma they face and the legal hurdles that comes after. One trans woman from Kerala, who has been in a long term relationship with her partner, said that they have been staying at their friend’s place because no one would rent out an accommodation to them.
(With inputs from The News Minute)
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