Plans are afoot to reconstitute panel for empowering the transgender community under a bishopSpelling out the direction he wants the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church to take, Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan has acknowledged the need for the Church to leverage its privilege, abilities and resources to embrace those who are left out, forgotten and abused in society. Hence, reinvigorating the Church's project for the mainstreaming of the transgender community and expanding its scope of operation across Kerala have been among the top priorities of the new high priest of the Mar Thomas Church. Church-level panelDuring an interaction with The Hindu, the Metropolitan said plans are afoot to reconstitute the Church-level committee for empowering the transgender community under a bishop. The Metropolitan estimates the actual number of transgender people in Kerala to be around 40,000 as against the official statistics of 25,000. The Church will also work with various government and non-government organisations for the protection of the human rights of the community.

Source: The Hindu November 17, 2020 13:28 UTC