India elects first transgender mayor in Raigarh

[ellenrr]

NEW DELHI, JAN 5:
A city in central India has elected the country's first transgender mayor, nine months after a court ruled that transgender be recognised as a legal third gender, local media reported.

Madhu Kinnar, 35, won the mayoral election in Raigarh in the mineral-rich state of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, beating her opponent from the governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by more than 4,500 votes, the Press Trust of India reported.

Television images showed a sari-clad Kinnar, with a large red bindi on her forehead, greeting supporters who placed marigold garlands around her neck.

Kinnar - who is from the Dalit or "low caste" community and used to earn a living singing and dancing in trains - said that she was overwhelmed by her election.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/india-elects-first-transgender-mayor-in-raigarh/article6756820.ece

[Recursion]

1. Great news

We're watching this very closely here.

She's also scheduled caste (ie, "low" caste).

[ellenrr]

3. Recursion - "here" is India? nt

[Recursion]

4. Yes, though I'm a few states away from her city.

I had posted this in LGBT earlier but it also has a political ramification in that it's a rebuke to the newly governing right-wing BJP party.

[RKP5637]

2. K&R! n/t