Renju Renjimar casts vote as female for first time; says proud moment in life

Ponkunnam (Kottayam): Though she had cast vote many times before, this election was a different experience for celebrity makeup artist Renju Renjimar. She exercised her franchise this assembly election with the identity card in which her gender was marked 'female'. She is happy that she has been accepted as a female by the society and the government. In the previous elections, Renju was included in male or transgender category.

Renju cast vote in Peroor Government Meenakshi Vilasam School, which is also her alma mater, in Kundara constituency of Kollam district. Though Renju underwent sex reassignment surgery and became a female, she was considered as a male prior to the Lok Sabha election. She voted in Lok Sabha polls and the local body polls in transgender category.

Renju drove car from her residence in Aluva to Kollam on Tuesday. She went to the polling booth with her mother and sister. As everyone recognised her, she was invited to join the queue of women. Renju received the identity card in which she is marked as female, only two months ago. The correction has been made in Aadhaar card and passport as well.

Renju runs a makeup studio in Angamaly and has been working in the industry for 25 years. She had done makeup for actors like Bhavana, Ramya Nambeesan, Padmapriya, Priyamani, Mamta Mohandas and Asha Sarath. She is also the founder of the organisation ‘Dhwaya’ which functions for the welfare of transgender people.

“The way all received me here proved that my decision in life were really precious. The society is now aware of the transgender community. I was so happy and proud when my old classmates came addressing me as a lady,” Renju said happily.