Equalising the Gender: A Study on Women and Transwomen Enterprises in Kerala

Abstract

The study is focusing on the impact that the entrepreneurship made on the social life of women as well as transwomen in Kerala, India. The Kudumbashree Mission of Kerala, which is a self-help group movement for women in the state is one of the efforts that running successfully since 1998 achieving the gender equality in all the walks of life through women empowerment. Kudumbashree is also showing a model by defining the womanhood in a wider perspective by including the transwomen. It is a novel and path-breaking initiative by Kudumbashree to start micro enterprises for transwomen. The success stories of Kudumbashree women enterprises are model to the country in its role to empower the women. The present study particularly focuses on the impact that the enterprises made on the social life of women as well as transwomen in terms of recognition, reception and reward. The study followed a narrative approach to draw the lived experiences of the participants who selected purposively from the Kozhikode District of Kerala State.