rim ination ▁against ▁lower ▁cast es ▁too . ▁ ▁G op i ▁Sh ank ar ▁Mad ur ai ▁is ▁a ▁human ▁rights ▁activ ist , ▁first ▁open ly ▁Inter sex ▁and ▁G ender que er ▁candidate ▁to ▁contest ▁in ▁T amil ▁N adu ▁State ▁Assembly ▁E lection ▁ 2 0 1 6 . ▁A ▁mon k ▁during ▁their ▁youth , ▁He ▁quit ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁become ▁more ▁polit ically ▁active ▁and ▁has ▁become ▁a ▁leader ▁in ▁T amil ▁activ ism . ▁Sh ank ar ▁is ▁a ▁pract ition er ▁and ▁teacher ▁of ▁traditional ▁philosoph ies . ▁ ▁Living ▁Sm ile ▁Vid ya ▁is ▁a ▁trans gender ▁actor ▁whose ▁bi ography ▁" I ▁am ▁Vid ya " ▁has ▁been ▁made ▁into ▁a ▁movie ▁in ▁the ▁neighbor ing ▁state ▁of ▁K arn ata ka . ▁ ▁Sh y am ▁Sel v ad ur ai ▁is ▁a ▁gay ▁fiction ▁author ▁who ▁lives ▁in ▁Canada . ▁He ▁is ▁of ▁Sri ▁L ank an ▁T amil ▁origin . ▁ ▁B har ath i ▁K ann amma ▁is ▁a ▁trans gender ▁law maker ▁who ▁tried ▁to ▁represent ▁an ▁elect oral ▁district ▁in ▁Mad ur ai ▁at ▁the ▁Parliament ▁of ▁India . ▁ ▁note : ▁several ▁personal ities ▁listed ▁in ▁this ▁section ▁are ▁mixed - eth nic ity , ▁but ▁are ▁included ▁because ▁they ▁either ▁speak ▁T amil ▁or ▁res ide ▁in ▁a ▁T amil ▁area ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁▁ ▁L GB T ▁rights ▁in ▁India ▁ ▁L GB T ▁rights ▁in ▁Sri ▁L anka ▁ ▁Sex ual ▁minor ities