Medical representatives job for Mr Sinha, born a girl

KOLKATA: Trishan Sinha, Rahul Mitra, Rudra Dutta and 10 others are set to make a fresh start in their work lives. They are in a group of 13 trans-persons, born female but who identify as male, training with a Kolkata-based pharma firm for two months now to be medical representatives (MRs).


It is a milestone in many ways, but especially for transpersons who face ridicule and for whom securing mainstream jobs where their trans-status is accepted is a huge deal. The company has taken the initiative as part of its CSR engagement. The acceptance has already had a positive impact. "Looking male and identifying as male... a lot of psychological weight has lifted," said Trishan, 35.

‘Having trans staff member an asset’

Ranjita Sinha, member, West Bengal Transgender Board, said, “So many transpersons getting regular, white-collar office jobs at one go is unheard of in Bengal, which has just about woken up to the crisis of transitioning people.”

Association of Transgender/Hijra in Bengal (ATHB), of which Sinha is director, will be the bridge between the pharma company and the transgendered people they will employ. “ATHB will be responsible for the professional behaviour of the MRs,” said ATHB president and administrator of the MR training programme, Keaaviiraag Poddar, who, after transitioning from female to male, now works as a management executive in a digital marketing company. “As an intersex community, transmen especially, are often vilified, facing violence and violations just because they have zipped out of their female bodies and chosen to be a man physically. It’s time to give them their place under the sun,” Poddar said.

There are transgendered persons getting government posts (Joyita Mondal, the country’s first transgendered Lok Adalat judge, is from Bengal), but the private sector is a different story. “Corporate jobs are a sign of societal acceptance. Even though diversity is now a part of corporate consciousness, not much has been done for transpeople,” Sarkar said.

Admitting that his company was facing challenges in navigating administrative hurdles, Sarkar insisted that having a confident transgendered member of staff “would be an asset”.

He doesn’t imagine it’ll be hunky-dory, though. Therefore, healthcare camps conducted by the transmen are being planned. Leading doctors will be invited to various camps on lifestyle diseases and hormonal imbalance. “This way, the transmen will be introduced to the doctors,” Sarkar said.

The trainees themselves are also being taught to make people feel comfortable. “We are asking them to be themselves when they face stereotypes and not hide their status, if asked. Addressing people’s questions in a positive way doesn’t mean telling your life story; just being yourself is enough to challenge the stereotype. We are also telling them that every curious person is not transphobic,” said Poddar. “People are not used to transgendered MRs. We must also give them the benefit of doubt.”