Meet Anbu Ruby, TN’s First Transgender Nurse Appointed To A Govt Hospital

Tamil Nadu got its first transgender nurse appointed to a government hospital in 2019. It was a dream come true for the 27-year-old Anbu Ruby when she received her confirmation letter from then Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami along with several other staff nurses. She became the state’s first transgender staff nurse to be appointed to a government hospital.

by Kayalvizhi Arivalan

Born as Anburaj in a humble background in Thoothukudi, he felt something odd about his body. From a very young age, he felt feminine and experienced physical and psychological changes from within. He underwent medical procedures to transform his identity to Anbu Ruby.

Ruby always desired to support her family and contribute to her community. Her father lost his eyesight when she was young, which left her mother to work overtime to make ends meet. Despite being ignored and mistreated by friends and relatives, her mother stood by her decision and supported her in every stage of her life. She made sure Ruby’s education did not come to a standstill. All the struggles that her mother underwent inspired Ruby to achieve what she wanted in life. She completed B.Sc. Nursing from a private college in Tirunelveli in 2016 and later pursued an MBA in Hospital Management through distance education. “I am really happy about this. I have become the first transgender woman in India to be appointed as a nurse. I express my deep gratitude to the chief minister and the health minister,” says Ruby, expressing her gratitude while addressing the media. Even after the fact that many transgenders have achieved in their respective fields, Ruby feels that society needs awareness and acceptance when it comes to transgenders.

She was initially posted at a primary health centre in Trichy. Under the orders of the then Chief Minister, she was posted closer to home, at the Thoothukudi Medical College. This made Ruby to discharge her duties as a staff nurse in her hometown, the same place where she was teased and ridiculed for her identity.

Courtesy: FEMINA