22-year-old Heidi Saadiya has been hired as a trainee broadcast journalist by a Malayalam News channel in Kerala. This is the first time a trans person has been hired by a news channel.
Thiruvananthapuram: 22-year-old transwoman Heidi Saadiya from Kerala made her debut as a reporter on Tuesday (September 3) in a Malayalam news channel. Her first-day assignment was about Chandrayaan-2 development.
Heidi said she was happy that people have started to give space to the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) community.
Also read: Kerala: Social Justice Department constructs Thanal for transgender community
Kerala health minister KK Shailaja took to Facebook to congratulate Saadiya and said that it was a proud moment for all Indians. “Chavakkad native Saadiya has made a successful move at a time when Chandrayaan 2 lander, 'Vikram', successfully separated from the orbiter. She’s the first transgender broadcast journalist from Kerala,” Shailaja said.
After completing school, she joined a private medical college in Mangaluru for MBBS. Her medical career was not about medical studies but of ragging and discrimination from other students because of her gender. Unable to bear the situation, Heidi dropped her studies and shifted to Bengaluru.
After this incident, she again went through a heart-wrenching incident as her parents refused to accept her. After saving money, she underwent sex realignment surgery.
In 2018, the Trivandrum Press Club invited applications for common entrance test to their PG diploma programme and she applied for it. She also got the 18th rank in the exam and secured admission.
Heidi completed the course with good marks, but couldn't find a job because of her identity. Many channels rejected her internship application without citing any particular reason. Finally, opportunity knocked on her doors.
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