iling am ▁Som as und aram , ▁in ▁pre - colon ial ▁T amil ▁culture , ▁" The ▁male ▁ped us ▁were ▁described ▁to ▁have ▁many ▁eff em inate ▁features ▁such ▁as ▁g ait , ▁other ▁bod ily ▁movements , ▁high - p itch ed ▁voice , ▁pr ud ery , ▁lack ing ▁vir ility , ▁beauty ▁and ▁fine ▁feelings . ▁The ▁female ▁ped us ▁were ▁said ▁to ▁have ▁prominent ▁secondary ▁sexual ▁characters ▁of ▁females ▁along ▁with ▁marked ▁h irs ut ism , ▁with ▁the ▁features ▁of ▁completely ▁femin ine ▁st ride , ▁p est ering , ▁murm uring ▁music , ▁being ▁fed - up , ▁bless ing , ▁or ▁curs ing ." ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁ara va ani ▁is ▁also ▁used ▁widely ▁as ▁a ▁catch - all ▁term ▁for ▁sexual ▁minor ities , ▁but ▁it ▁can ▁also ▁include ▁those ▁which ▁would ▁be ▁label led ▁as ▁lean ing ▁towards ▁disabled ▁in ▁western ▁lex icon . ▁The ▁term ▁is ▁officially ▁used ▁to ▁describe ▁the ▁community ▁of ▁trans gender ▁and ▁third ▁gender ▁people . ▁ ▁Table ▁of ▁rights ▁▁ ▁The ▁High ▁Court ▁of ▁Mad ras ▁has ▁proc laimed ▁that ▁sexual ▁minor ities ▁are ▁not ▁being ▁protected ▁as ▁required ▁by ▁the ▁constitution ▁- ▁something ▁that ▁signals ▁its ▁dis ple asure ▁at ▁the ▁laws ▁disc rimin ating ▁against ▁hom osex uals ▁in ▁T amil ▁N adu , ▁whereas ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁is ▁looking ▁at ▁allowing ▁hom osex uals ▁to ▁serve ▁in ▁the ▁military ▁and ▁don ate ▁blood . ▁ ▁Trans gender ▁rights ▁in ▁T