Nagpur: The transgender community, which often doesn’t get opportunities to speak about its problems, on Wednesday shed light on the trials and tribulations faced by them. “All we ask of you is to respect us and not look at us with fear in your eyes,” pleaded a group of transgenders at an informal interaction organized by the Hindi Mahila Samiti.
The event ‘Kinnaro (transgenders) Ke Saath Kuch Pal’, was held at Mor Bhavan. Samiti president Rati Choubey said, “People look at the transgender community with a different perspective, often with disrespect. They have been existing for thousands of years and their existence is credited to Lord Shiva. There have been mentions of them in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, various Puranas and even the Kadambari. Still, they are ostracized by the society, kicked out of their own homes and left to fend for themselves.”
Choubey laid emphasis on the societal problems which arise due to such thinking. “It causes loneliness, feelings of abandonment and often gives rise to criminal behaviour and other anti-social elements,” she said.
The group of transgenders at the event included Meena Nair (Guruma), Zarina, Karishma, Kareena, Heena, Simran, Rakhi, Reshma and six-year-old Bulbul. They explained that when a family realizes that their child is possibly transgender, they give their children to the community. One of us was given away when she was barely two months old, they said.
One of them said, “We don’t miss our families. We have never even had a chance to see them. So, we don’t know what familial love feels like.”
When Choubey asked them whether they would like to find jobs, they replied in the negative. Still, some of us are trying to educate ourselves. We want to devote time to god and bring light into the world, they said.
Choubey pointed out that though the government had announced and recognized a third gender on April 15, 2014, the transgender community still faces a lot of persecution. She said, “They are ultimately humans with legitimate feelings. Until we improve our mindsets, the society will not improve either.”
The event was conceptualized by Choubey, working president Chitra Toor and Aisha Chatterjee. Joint secretary Neelam Shukla, vice-presidents Rekha Pandey and Sujata Dubey were also present.
The event ‘Kinnaro (transgenders) Ke Saath Kuch Pal’, was held at Mor Bhavan. Samiti president Rati Choubey said, “People look at the transgender community with a different perspective, often with disrespect. They have been existing for thousands of years and their existence is credited to Lord Shiva. There have been mentions of them in the Ramayana, Mahabharata, various Puranas and even the Kadambari. Still, they are ostracized by the society, kicked out of their own homes and left to fend for themselves.”
Choubey laid emphasis on the societal problems which arise due to such thinking. “It causes loneliness, feelings of abandonment and often gives rise to criminal behaviour and other anti-social elements,” she said.
The group of transgenders at the event included Meena Nair (Guruma), Zarina, Karishma, Kareena, Heena, Simran, Rakhi, Reshma and six-year-old Bulbul. They explained that when a family realizes that their child is possibly transgender, they give their children to the community. One of us was given away when she was barely two months old, they said.
One of them said, “We don’t miss our families. We have never even had a chance to see them. So, we don’t know what familial love feels like.”
When Choubey asked them whether they would like to find jobs, they replied in the negative. Still, some of us are trying to educate ourselves. We want to devote time to god and bring light into the world, they said.
Choubey pointed out that though the government had announced and recognized a third gender on April 15, 2014, the transgender community still faces a lot of persecution. She said, “They are ultimately humans with legitimate feelings. Until we improve our mindsets, the society will not improve either.”
The event was conceptualized by Choubey, working president Chitra Toor and Aisha Chatterjee. Joint secretary Neelam Shukla, vice-presidents Rekha Pandey and Sujata Dubey were also present.
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