In a small village in India, a boy child was born with much pomp and celebration. He was named Manav and was the apple of his parents eye. They laughed at his antics and naughty behaviour. He did what boys usually did like play gilli-danda, climb trees for mangoes, but he also loved dressing up in his sisters’ lehengas. At first, the family thought of it as cute and endearing, but as he got older, people raised their eyebrows. Manav never liked his name, it felt too manly. He preferred the name Maya, and wanted to be referred to as a girl. Maya had always known deep down that her gender at birth did not match how she felt, she felt more like a girl.
Growing up, Maya faced countless challenges – discrimination, violence, and a lack of any protection. As a teenager, when puberty struck, she cried as her voice got deeper, and she saw the gray shadow of a beard and mustache forming. She would frantically spend hours on the phone trying to find ways to delay puberty, remove facial hair, or become a woman. One such day, she came across the phrase”Trans”. Researching this even more, she was amazed to find individuals just like her. Who were born as one gender, but felt and identified as another gender. That’s when she learned of “Transgenders”. This revelation itself was enough for Maya to feel optimistic, that there were others like her in the world and that she was not a freak for her feelings.
Maya’s story here, though fictional, has been used to describe the initial feelings faced by transgender individuals in India. These individuals, like Maya, come from diverse backgrounds and have different gender identities. Some identify as transgender women, like Maya, while others identify as transgender men or non-binary individuals who do not exclusively identify as male or female. Each person’s unique journey deserves recognition and understanding.
Unfortunately, discrimination and violence are an everyday reality for the transgender community. Most experience verbal abuse and physical attacks simply because of who they are. Finding employment is a constant struggle, and accessing healthcare and education has often seemed impossible. The lack of understanding and acceptance from society has only added to the challenges the trangender community faces.
But Maya’s story is not one of despair alone. In recent years, India has made progress in recognizing transgender rights with The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. However, there is still much work to be done in implementing these laws and changing societal attitudes. Maya, along with countless others, continue to fight for true equality and inclusivity.
Understanding and embracing transgender identities in India requires empathy and compassion. It means standing against discrimination, supporting equal rights, and being an ally. By educating ourselves, listening to personal stories, and advocating for change, we can create a society where everyone can freely express their true gender identity without fear of violence or discrimination.
In upcoming articles, we will delve deeper into the history of transgender individuals in India, the legal rights they have, the personal stories of resilience like Maya’s, the healthcare challenges they face, and ways to be an ally. Together, we can work towards a society that celebrates diversity and resilience, where transgender individuals like Maya can live their lives with the dignity and respect they deserve.
– By Anjali B. Gupta