Twenty-eight-year-old Laya Maria Jaison is keen on avoiding the constant introduction of herself as a transgender individual. “Gender identity holds relevance only in specific contexts, not as an omnipresent descriptor. Are cisgender men or women consistently defined by their gender identity?” asks Laya, who is currently engrossed in the election campaign in the Puthuppally Assembly constituency in Kottayam district. The by-election in Puthuppally, scheduled to be held on September 5, is due to the passing of the former Chief minister and veteran Congress leader, Oommen Chandy. Laya Maria serves as a state committee member of the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of CPIM, and has taken charge of the campaign activities within the constituency.