Transgenders at crossroads in the Indian society

8 February 2022

Yesterday, my wife narrated the incident that the newlyweds travelling in the car decorated with flowers were at the crossroads, waiting for green light to turn on. Immediately, a transgender (kinnar in Hindi) stood right in front of car and pulled up her sari to show inside. It was a disgusting sight all in public view. At the same time, it was horrible for the newlyweds to see such a scene.

Transgender beggars have been asking for alms at the crossings for some years now. Probably Delhi and other metros top in number. Since many cars have to stop for a minute or so at crossings, they approach each car fast and try to make a quick buck. They did not beg at the road crossings in the past. Unfortunately, this trend of begging has caught on for quite some time, as they have realised quick and steady income this way, rather than begging from house to house that they used to do and also keep the track of homes where weddings were taking place and where the babies were born. It is a tradition in India to offer the gifts and money to the transgender and receive the blessings on such occasions.

I have been giving alms (Rs 10 each) whenever I encountered a transgender beggar at the crossroads. Fortunately, they take it and go away, sometime murmuring blessings. It is a sigh of relief in view of the fact that in the past, they will argue a lot, create embarrassing situations including abusing to extract more money, whenever and wherever one encountered them.

Looking at the humane side, this is a marginalised class in every society. It depends upon prostitution and menial jobs for its livelihood. I am not sure if there are any Government programmes that directly benefit this class. I am also not sure if the Government has seriously thought of tackling their begging (and begging of others) at crossroads, as it presents a poor view (badnami) of the country.

Unfortunately, many societies have not accepted this class of other gender. Some feel that it is mental or psychological sickness. Even, Donald Trump, ex-President of the USA believed that, and did not consider offering special recognition and benefit to this class in view of discrimination that transgender face for jobs, and other aspects of living. Transgender community has a lot of diversity and hence it is grouped often as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community too. I am not sure if some are curable in terms of being perfect male or female. I remember participating briefly in their rally and listening to their leaders at the lawns of the white house in 2017 while on a visit to Annapolis (near Washington DC) for the project work. And these posters will make it clear that they are agitating for their rights and not begging for mercies or sympathies. 

 

Photo: March of National LGBTQ task force and others on 3 May 2017 in Washington White House lawns protesting against Donald Trump.

Transgender community or LGBTQ community is very vocal in the developed countries, demanding equal rights similar to people belong to other two sexes, while there is hardly any awareness of this community in the developing countries.

In India, awareness of rights of this community is low amongst general public. However, there are bright spots too. Some time back, a Katni municipal corporation in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh had elected the India’s first transgender Mayor, Kamla Jaan as its representative. Similarly, the same State had Shabnam Bano (Shabnam mausi) as member of the State Legislative Assembly. I am not sure if their elections are genuinely in appreciation of their work in the society and recognition of their rights, or due to frustration felt by the people, as the latter felt that most of their political representatives are likely hijaras (vernacular name of transgender), changing often their bed fellows (parties) to remain in power (and make money), the same way transgender do for living. But, our prism of viewing the transgender community is changing. I saw some forms for identity cards and other documents amended to include gender other than male and female. India’s grand old Congress party appointed a transgender, Apsara Reddy as a general secretary of its women’s wing, All India Mahila Congress in 2019. And another Gopi Shankar Madurai who contested the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections was appointed as the South regional representative in the National Council for Transgender Persons in 2020. Some of these people achieved distinction on their own, working for social, educational and other causes in the society. Like elsewhere, transgenders are no longer hiding but openly declaring themselves to be so in India too. Further, the Supreme court of India has decriminalised homosexual sex allowing transgenders living together a dignified private life in 2018, falling short of accepting recognition of same sex marriage in public life.

And it is no longer gleeful, but notching up of civilization we live in.