PLIGHT OF TRANSGENDER CITIZENS – CAUSES AND REMEDIES
It is not very uncommon that we come across in moving Trains, Bus
Stands, Commercial areas, Parks etc., groups of Hijras or Transgenders (third gender/eunuch) (also known differently in many Indian
languages like chhakka in kannada, khusra in Punjabi, kojja in Telugu, and Aravani, Tirunangai
in
Tamil) pester, demand
money from Passengers, Shop-Keepers and general public. Though a small
percentage of public, shop-keepers pay money willingly and happily, a majority of
them pay money only out of helplessness and out of fear. They very well know their refusal
to pay money would certainly invite a generous shower of abuses, curses in
unprintable vulgar and filthy language.
I do
not know whether out of self-imposed Code of Conduct or out of respect Or for whatever reasons, these
transgenders normally spare or ignore
Senior Citizens like me, women and
children, provided we keep our mouth shut and do not venture to pass any remarks on them! Initially, like anybody else, I also used to
get irritated, upset about their unruly and indecent behaviour in public. But, when I thought over their behaviour calmly, objectively and without any
prejudice, I came to the firm conclusion that we cannot find fault with their
behaviour and instead we will have to
blame ourselves, individually and jointly as a Society since it is ONLY we who have
pushed them into this pitiable, miserable
situation. I have very consciously and
deliberately avoided mentioning about the illegal and anti-social activities
some of these transgenders engage in, for
obvious reasons.
Transgenders
are persons
having a gender identity or self-image which is opposite of one’s physical
sex : being physically male but behaving like female or vice versa. At birth, infants are assigned a sex based on a combination
of bodily characteristics, internal reproductive organs, and genitals. For
transgender people, their birth-assigned sex and their own internal sense of
gender identity do not match. They are born with wrong gender in a wrong body. Most transgender children live in the
shadows, hiding from a world that sees them as freaks of nature. Rejected by their families, many grow up hating their
own bodies, and fall victim to high rates of depression, drug abuse, violence
and suicide.
Transgenders were in existence from
time immemorial and references are available in plenty even in
vedic literatures. However the
disturbing fact is their population is on the increase. 50 - 60
years back, their numbers were not so
much as we find to-day. I do not know whether our Govt. agencies
have ever carried-out a census of transgenders.
While we can with very high percentage
of accuracy confirm the reasons, circumstances and conditions which has forced
them to behave in this deplorable manner, we are not in a position to say as to
why they are born as such.
There is no data available which links
to genetical, heredity factors
for their births as Transgenders and it
seems to happen at random . We only hope
our Medical professionals are able to
findout the true reasons and come out with remedies to eradicate or alteast to minimise such births taking place, soon.
Reasons for their present miserable conditions :
1. Though Parents
are not directly responsible for the birth of trangenders, they are, in no uncertain terms, primarily responsible for pushing them into
this deplorable, miserable conditions. Even
after, they become aware of this fact, they try to suppress it. They do this mainly because of social stigma
attached to the Transgender. They also
harbour genuine and valid fear that it will affect the life of their other
children greatly, particularly if they have female children even their
marriages will become a big question mark.
2. We can
only imagine the mental agony these Trangender children undergo at that tender
age. They undergo serious confict within
themselves. Every second is spent in fighting eternal turmoil, fire like
inferno raging inside their mind, though it is certainly NOT their
fault to be born as such. In addition to
this mental agony, depression, their own
siblings, relations, neighbours, co-students
in school, even Teachers daunt them,
tease them and inflict untold injuries on them. Sexual and physical abuses also are not uncommon.
This is like applying ACID to 3rd degree deep wound, caused by fire.
3. Because of
unsympathetic, unsupportive and hostile treatment these transgender children receive
at very young age and unbearable to suffer the agony raging in their mind, they somehow like to disappear from the scene
either by running away from home or ending their life. No data is available as
to how many of them have ended their life at this tender age. But you can safely
assume it is quite high. It may sound unbelievable but is true that the Parents
also play active role in this. They
somehow want to get rid of them in order
to protect their family from social stigma and also protect the interest of
their other children. Some parents even take them to far off Cities and abandon them so
that they cannot find their way back.
4. These abandoned transgender children
with no or little money and not knowing the local language undergo
untold miseries until some Transgender picks them up and take them to their
hide-outs or joints generally located in isolated places, abandoned buildings.
There, they quickly pick-up rather are taught all the vices in the world, in
order to survive.
5. When they
are around 16 years of age, these Transgenders undergo an initiation rite into the hijra
community called nirwaan. Elaborate
poojas are conducted where all transgender community members participate and
this Sex Change operation is conducted in totally secret manner. As these operations are conducted under
questionable and unhygienic conditions and by those without any qualification and
expertise, we do not know as to how many of them are successful and how many have resulted in permanent disability and even deaths. No data is available on this
score. Even Police turn a blind eye in this regard.
IMMEDIATE REMEDIAL ACTION REQUIRED :
1. Every
State should have region wise Development and Welfare Centres for Transgenders
with attached well staffed School, giving them proper food, shelter and
medical facilities. These centres may be established and run by religious bodies or
by Social Activity Groups with grants
from the State and Central Govt. and with proper supervisory control.
2. There
should be strict legal requirement wherein the Parents must register in the
nearest Police Station, as soon as they come to know the fact their child has
symptoms of Transgender. When the trangender child attains the age of 6, the
Parents will be solely responsible to admit the child in the nearest Centre.
The area Police authorities should ensure this and such details should be
recorded by them. Failure to do so should
be treated as prosecutable offence.
3. These centres should have dedicated Psychologists to counsel these
children regularly and make them feel that it is not their fault to be born as
such and they should take it in their stride and progress in life. These
children can visit their homes during holidays and enjoy living with their
parents & relatives.
4.
They should get free medical support like “sex
reassignment therapy” , Hormone replacement
therapy for transmen/women,
voice, face, adam’s apple, breasts, genitals therapy/procedures from well
qualified doctors.
5. Social
welfare departments and education authorities should educate and enlighten other children and also general
public about this gender and wipe out from their mind all inhibitions and
apprehension about this gender. Their mind should be prepared to accept them as
a reality and acknowledge the fact that they are also human beings like
themselves.
6. They
should be trained and encouraged in all sports/cultural activities in their
Centres and arrange Sports/cultural events with other Centres as well as other
institutions, to enable them mingle with all and get to know each other.
7. Once they
complete their Secondary School Education, they should be admitted in
professional Colleges along with other students, while they continue
to live in their Development Centres.
Those who firmly believe in God, will agree with me that every creation in this
world by Him has a definite intention, purpose, goal and objective. I also feel that He
has created the Transgenders as a Superior Race to serve, guide, administer the
normal Human beings with total devotion, dedication and undiverted
and undivided focus, unbiased and without any prejudice.
Since they have no family of their own, they need not save any money for
generations to come which is the root cause for prevalent Corruption. I believe they are most suitable for higher
posts in Police, Administration, Medical, Teaching, Judicial, Armed Forces, Secret Services and so on for
reasons which can be easily imagined than explained.
We need to help them out, develop them, bring out their high
potential capabilities for at least Two
generations which may take about 40 years and once they are fully developed,
well-placed, they will support us with
selfless and dedicated service and make
this world a better place to live.
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