Transgender activist denied home loan, fears eviction from rented house

Noted transgender activist Akkai Padmashali on Thursday said she fears being evicted from her rented house after she was denied a home loan by banks, which she claimed was because of her sex.

“I am living in fear of being evicted from my rented house because of the lease period, which expires on June 28.  I had approached the banks, but they have denied me a loan of Rs. 10 lakh because I am a transgender,” she told PTI here.

Padmashali said she does not want to return as a sex worker and deserves to lead a dignified life.

She had shot to limelight by becoming the first transgender in Karnataka to have registered for marriage in January this year.

Padmashali married Vasu, who is also a renowned transgender activist, on January 20 last.  She said she has raised two-thirds of money by usingher mother’s jewellery as collateral and through her friendsand crowd funding, but still needs Rs 10 lakhs to buy home.  The banks should come forward and provide her the loan bysetting a good example by not discriminating, Padmashali said.

“When defaulter Nirav Modi can avail of crores of rupees and run away from the country, why should not honest people get loan to buy house,” she said.

She further said she has crossed many hurdles in her life by fighting for transgenders’ rights but wants to make a point to the society that even they can buy a house.