BANGALORE: Existing in a state of duality within themselves; transgenders in our society have emerged as victims of an unjust and selfish paradigm. Intolerance has indeed taken on a whole new meaning today. The battle of identity assertion is nothing but the aftermath of oppression and discrimination against these individuals. “The whole concept of an identity arises only when we are accepted as a part of the society. Until and unless that happens this debate is meaningless. When it comes to transgenders, we are constantly segregated from the collective consciousness of society at large,” said Akai, a transgender from Bangalore. As a part of the slut walk series, City Express sets forth on a journey of reality with transgenders.Fighting in a constant battle between actuality and psychological approval; transgenders have forever dealt with the consistent denial of their existence as human beings. Prejudice against them can always be attributed to unjust yet socially acceptable norms. “Discrimination is a dangerous concept. We are isolated based on our sexual identity. Some of the issues faced by all of us include harassment by officials, family and the general public, subjection to inhumane treatment, sexual abuse, intolerance and lack of awareness. This is a very serious issue. Most of us are unable to lead healthy or normal lives owing to ignorance on everyone’s part. We are always looked upon as objects. So where do you draw the line? The government needs to accentuate its efforts on curbing injustice and bringing these issues into the mainstream society. In fact last year the government had passed an order stating that all transgenders will be provided with housing, educational and employment facilities. Nothing has been done yet,” Akai added.Sexual minorities often face severe neglect from family and loved ones. This in turn progresses into a more disoriented and disturbed intellectual state. According to Pradeep (Akai’s brother) from Sangama, a city-based NGO working with the LGBT community, we need to be able to learn how to accept people for who they are and observe tolerance in all our actions. “At Sangama, we constantly strive to achieve equality and nurture acceptance by indulging in healthy conversations with the family members. In fact, family interventions form an integral part of diminishing indifference and violence against these individuals. Today, several transgenders, who have come out, have undying support from their family,” he said.However, Sridevi — A transgender-model, feels the necessity of a revolution in terms of social recognition. Voicing her opinion on the current state of events, she said, “Treat us like human beings first. With no education and lack of support, many transgenders resort to begging or become sex workers eventually. Survival is imperative for our existence. How else are we supposed to feed ourselves? We have been a taboo in the society for so long. I urge the government to wake up and make a difference. There have been several instances where transgenders were refused work or education merely based on having a ‘confused sexual identity’. This needs to stop right now.”Atrocities committed against these minority groups may vary in degree. However, equality today is still a struggling fragment of an intellectual concept. Survival of individuals, who do not conform to societal standards, often becomes quite tedious. Emphasising on the acts of brutality committed against transgenders, Veena further said, “Well, without security or assurance, it is easy for people to behave indifferent. This has created a surge in bullying incidents. There have been several accounts of transgenders being blamed for their plight on approaching officials with serious issues. For instance sexual assault, bribery and incessant indulgence in stripping them of all dignity, are some of the problems that need to be dealt with. This behaviour is both derogatory and inhumane. The constant exploitation of minority groups is frustrating to say the least. We have some of the best writers, musicians, dancers and artistes amongst us. Given a chance we would like to showcase our talent to the world. It is time to bid farewell to sexual discrimination and inequality completely. ”
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