Rehana Fathima

Some lesser-known facts about Rehana Fathima

• Rehana Fathima was a part of the ‘Kiss of Love’ movement in 2014. People of Kerela held this movement in Kochi, against the rise of moral policing in Kerela. Fathima, along with her live-in partner, Manoj Sreedharan was leading the Kiss of Love campaign. Manoj Sreedharan posted a video of the kiss on his Facebook handle.

• Since her childhood, she has questioned the dogmatic rituals and tenets of different religions. In 2016, she was among the first women to take part in the ‘Ayyanthol Puli Kali,’ a traditional male festive Onam Tiger Dance usually performed by the males.
  

• In 2017, she acted in a Malayalam film ‘Eka,’ an artwork focused on intersexuality. Reportedly, Eka is inspired by real incidents and is the first Indian movie to have brought out and shown the atrocities against transgenders, transsexuals, LGBT and all the gender minorities. However, the movie is banned in India owing to scenes of nudity, violence and political sensitivity shown in the movie.
  

• Following the Sabarimala Temple row, the Kerala Muslim Jamaath Council expelled her from the Muslim community for allegedly hurting religious feelings. ^[4]The Hindu

• In 2018, the Thiruvalla police arrested Fathima for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through her Facebook posts. She stayed behind the bars for 18 days.
  

• Fathima worked as a government employee in BSNL until March 2020, when she took voluntary retirement from her job as a telecom technician.
  

• The Kerela-based activist frequently posts obscene pictures on social media.