The term transgender refers to someone whose identifies with a gender which is different than what he/she was assigned at birth. This is called 'gender dysphoria'. When we look back in history, in Hindu Mythology there were transgender people who were called “Kinnars”.
In Kashmir valley, the transgender community has been struggling for acknowledgment as well as identification, abandoned by their family and shamed by the society. Third gender has been forced to withdraw from public life, making their existence a social death.
Transgender children are forced to quit their education due to harassment and bullying. It takes a lot of strength for transgender people to come to terms with who they are. Many transgender people feel depressed when they are figuring out how to deal with gender misalignment. Trying to achieve their dreams in a country where people mock, harass them, spit on them, treat them like untouchables everyday makes their life even more miserable.
Some people are polite enough and feel sympathetic towards transgender people but they never do anything helpful for them. Amidst all this we also got a good news from government that India got its first trans woman IPS Officer K_Prithika Yashini and Joyita Mandal became a Lok Adalat (civil court) judge. No doubt their journeys must have been difficult.
Their achievements have given adequate answers to people who are incapable of understanding their struggle and pain, while the struggle for equality and dignity is still going on. More awareness is needed in Indian society so that the young generation of trans people who are yet to come out or are still questioning their gender identity don't have to suffer due to ignorance towards trans genders.
Being a parent if a transgender child is considered embarrassing and shameful, this is one of the most common prejudice present in our society because of which people disown their own children to suffer alone in this world. One of the most famous female transgender of Kashmir are Abdul rashid (Reshma) & Manzoor (Manu bebo), while listening to whom it was really heart breaking that some people spit on them, and make them feel like untouchables.
Whenever we have any occasion like weddings or birthdays parties, we enjoy their presence as some of us think that they are only made for singing and dancing in parties, but they too are humans. We have to treat them just like we treat other people, indeed they are the creations of Almighty too. If parents start understanding their transgender child, they would realise that there is nothing wrong with their children.
The real problem with the mind-set of the society, which needs to be change and for that they should provide their transgender children with love, care and education. So that they can become independent and achieve their dreams.
They shouldn’t have to face more bullying and harassment or eve teasing. If you ask people in Kashmir what they know about trans people, most of them only answer with what they have seen, singing and dancing in weddings. Some will start complaining about their bad behaviour. This is the harsh reality for many trans people.
But the fact we often ignore is that directly or indirectly, we as a society are responsible for their condition and wellbeing. Being disowned by their own families and harsh treatments from other people in society leads to their so called “bad behaviour”. But still after facing all these adversities there are some transgender people who are brave enough to make their way to achieve their goals and prove that trans people are as capable and deserving as any other Indian/Kashmiri, thus breaking the stereotype.
The views of society towards an individual, a group or a community starts from us, because we are a part of society, if we will change our mind-sets about them, become rational and understanding, sooner or later the mind-set of society as a whole becomes more rational progressive and inclusive.
"We are like you and if you will mock or taunt us you are indirectly or directly taunting the creator" ....
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