Sex workers, kidnappers, omens... never just human

April 2014 marked a turning point for the transgender movement in India when the Supreme Court created the ‘Third Gender’ status. Although the judgement recognised transgenders on official documents and in theory, opened up equal opportunities for education and employment, integration into mainstream society is still a long walk for the community. Much of the fight is against fear and discrimination, which forces them to live on the fringes of society and perpetuates myths and stereotypes.

All not hijras

One of the most prominent assumptions is that all transgenders are hijra. Kalki Subramaniam, a transgender rights activist from Coimbatore, clarifies, “Hijra is a tradition that is more than 2,000 years old. An individual may or may not choose to identify as hijra. It depends on whether they are entering the traditional set-up, which is a personal choice.”

Customs and traditions perpetuate the myth that a transgender person can curse you, is evil, or kidnaps children; then on the other hand, they are considered good luck and invited to weddings and childbirths. A survey conducted by Buzzfeed News and polling firm Ipsos in 2016 found that 48 per cent of Indians think transgenders have spiritual gifts. It’s not uncommon for a transperson to be solicited for blessings.

“I don’t personally believe in this and don’t want to be subject to it, but sometimes when I go out, people ask me for blessings,” says Rose Venkatesan, a former TV anchor based in Chennai. Thirty-six-year-old Venkatesan hosted Ippadikku Rose (Yours Truly, Rose), a Tamil talk show in 2008.

“Transgenders are almost always seen as being sexually available,” says Venkatesan, “When I go out, people assume I am a sex worker and ask me for my rate. Transwomen are seen as sex objects that can be used and thrown without any regard for humanity. This myth is counter-productive for those who want to live a dignified life.”

One of the pressing needs of the community today is to break out of this assumption. “It’s a chicken and egg situation,” says Venkatesan, “When transgenders are shunned by their families and society, they end up in the hijra society which has traditionally lived off begging and sex work.”

Bullying

The community also has a high drop out rate from schools due to bullying by peers and mistreatment that is often provoked by teachers and school staff. While many trangender students have enrolled in universities after 2014, many prefer distance education instead of attending classes on campus.

Twenty-seven-year-old Shivali Chhetri has often experienced harassment when she has revealed her identity. “Now, I don’t find it necessary to tell people [who live] around me. They pass comments about my mannerisms, but I try to be as normal as I can. When I step out of my house, I don’t wear western clothes and cover up in Indian wear.” Originally from Nepal, Chhetri has been living in Mumbai for eight years. While she works as a choreographer, she aspires to be a model and actress.

When 27-year-old Navya Singh, a model and actress based in Mumbai, revealed her identity to colleagues, they were shocked. “They said they never thought I was a transwoman but that moment on, there was a marked shift in their expression. The first statement was: ‘Oh! Tum kinnar ho?’ I have transitioned into a complete woman and want to be identified as one, but people continue to attach those labels to me. Is a man or woman constantly told, ‘Oh you are a man/woman’. So why am I repeatedly told ‘Tum kinnar ho’.”

The male factor

While transwomen are relatively more visible, transmen are almost non-existent. “Their issue is even more complex and deeper,” says Subramaniam. “The discrimination a female body faces in our country is immense. Being born in a female body and trying to get out of that and form an identity of the opposite sex is almost impossible for them.”

Much has to do with the status of women in the country. “They have far more restrictions and stricter roles to adhere to. They have fewer opportunities to go out to gather the courage and be themselves. Some of them get married at an early age, even before they can fully realise who they are,” she says.

Not like the West

Subramaniam adds the Indian transgender movement cannot be compared to its Western counterpart. “In certain ways, the family rejection, social stigma and violence against the community is the same throughout the world but for the Indian transgender community, the most important thing is family acceptance. Larger social acceptance can lead to family acceptance. There must be education on gender and sexuality in schools and colleges.”

The need is for the Indian transgender community to create visible role models, according to Subramaniam. “The situation today is much better than it was about two decades ago but there is still a lot to be done as a community to achieve the same equality and dignity in society.”

TRANS TIMELINE

The past few years have witnessed several firsts and milestones for the Indian transgender community

2008
Rose Venkatesan debuts as a transgender TV talk show hostess on Star Vijay

2010
Laxmi Narayan Tripathi launches Indian Super Queen, India’s first transgender beauty pageant

2014
The Supreme Court recognises the third gender

Padmini Prakash became India’s first transgender television news anchor in Tamil Nadu

2015
Madhu Kinnar became India’s first transgender mayor in Chhattisgarh’s Raigarh Municipal Corporation

Manabi Bandyopadhyay is the country’s first transgender college principal in West Bengal

Naina Singh becomes India’s youngest transgender to come out at 16, announcing her sexuality at her school’s assembly

2016
The youth films wing of Yash Raj Films, Y-Films, launched 6 Pack Band, India’s first transgender band

Manipuri actress, Bishesh Huirem, represents India at the Miss International Queen Pageant in Thailand

Sahaj International, India’s first transgender school, opens in Kochi

2017
Atri Kar became the first transgender to appear in West Bengal’s civil services exam

Nepal’s Anjali Lama walks the ramp at Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai

The Calcutta HC directs State Bank of India to allow choice of third gender in its application form to recruit new employees