Actor Kasturi, who had used a derogatory term for transgender people while commenting on the verdict in the MLA disqualification case on Twitter, has finally apologised after being called out by several people.
On Sunday, Kasturi put out a video where she apologised for her tweet, saying, “I thought I was being funny and put out a tweet. I then realised how hurtful it was and hence I had deleted the tweet and apologised for it. I don’t know with what intention the screenshots are doing rounds now. I have many close friends in the LGBTQ community and they are hurt by this circulation of screenshots even after apology. So I request you all to not circulate the screenshots,” she says in the video.
Kasturi had tweeted a derogatory comment about the transgender community after the MLA disqualification verdict was announced. This tweet stirred up a controversy with a wide section of people demanding an apology for this. She had the claimed that the tweet was in good humour and that people must take it in that sense.
This led to trans women protesting in front of her house on Saturday demanding an apology. They also expressed that since she was the chief guest at this year’s annual festival in Koovagam, they had thought she was sensitive to the struggles they face in their daily lives.
Trans woman and activist Renuka Devi had condemned Kasturi’s remark and said that trans women are performing well in all fields and that Kasturi should not have made such comments. She also expressed surprise at how Kasturi could be an actor without the right knowledge about the transgender community.
Renuka Devi also said that Kasturi was using the community to gather media attention and warned her to not repeat it.
Kasturi also tweeted her apology on Sunday.
“Heartfelt Apologies all around. The offence was unintended. Please do not share so called “screenshots” spreading malicious info.”
full video. https://t.co/qfRDBv7iqx
— Kasturi Shankar (@KasthuriShankar) June 17, 2018
Heartfelt Apologies all around. The offence was unintended.
Please do not share so called "screenshots" spreading malicious info.