From a sex worker to a pioneer in decriminalising homosexuality, here’s the story of Akkai Padmashali

Born in Bengaluru, Padmashali (38) grew up in challenging circumstances dotted with fear. “In my mid-20s I grew up in an atmosphere where I could hardly breathe and was always kept away from society. I appeared scary to my parents, siblings, relatives, friends and society. My true identity was hidden and my voice was crushed. The last eight years has been a long battle, which has given the community some hope. There was resistance initially but it was also about agitation against the brutality committed on sexual minorties,” says Padmashali, who is also the founder of Ondede, a non-profit organisation that creates awareness on transgender rights.

The foundation aims to create a space for dialogue, support and to strengthen action to make visible issues of dignity, voice and sexuality in relation to gender non-conforming children, transgenders, sexual minorities, cis women of vulnerable backgrounds.

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The LGBTQ community sees ‘Akkai’ as a ‘movement’ who can support them with hope and help them get rid of the menial jobs they do. “Earlier as a sex worker, I was deprived of many social and economic benefits. There were no housing facilities, no employment, no education. But the courage to take up the agitation to fight against the social discrimination came only after I started to accept my identity and self-esteem. Also, I think Akkai as a movement has converged under one section to fight against the larger battle of hate,” says Padmashali who also adds, “It took me 27 years to get my voter ID card.”

Through many of the campaigns conducted by Ondede, including in police academies, in the last five years, the crimes against transgenders have marginally reduced, according to Padmashali. She said, “The transgender community is finding some scope for economic opportunities in the current times. Moreover, the police brutality against sexual minorities has comparatively reduced compared to the situation 10 years back. However, the discrimination still exists.”

Padmashali is also one of the first transwomen to legally adopt a child. However, she might also be the first one to file a divorce application. “I was not ready to stay in a marriage institution that has orthodox thinking and adopts violence that puts my child and me in danger. I got separated from my husband just before the pandemic and fought for the legal custody of my child,” said Padmashali.

Akkai Padmashali is now working on proposing a policy in medical institutions to include transwomen and also a policy to include literature around accepting sexual minorities in academia. “We are culturally more accepted but socially excluded. So, we are working on bringing changes in the social sector, starting with education to make sure chapters on the violence against sexual minorities and the awareness on inclusivity are included,” said Padmashali, who had joined the Congress party in 2020.

“I joined Congress because it gave me the freedom and the opportunity to take my movement to the next level. Although the battle until today was about fighting against stigmatisation and challenging the system, now it is about being a part of the political structure to bring about constitutional changes to support the LGBTQ community and their rights,” says Padmashali.