Transgenders scripting success in Tamil Nadu

aturday, June 28, 2008 (Chennai) NDTV news. Kalki is a highflying transgender IT professional. But her road to success wasn't easy. Her parents she says didn't accept her sexual orientation and forced her to take male hormone tablets. Away from home she was often a victim of sexual abuse. These factors only inspired her to dream big. Now the techie also runs a foundation for the betterment of transgenders. ''When you are successful people look up to you. When you are not its a totally different story,'' says Kalki. Rose is the country's first transgender television anchor and has won the hearts of millions. She was once thrown out of home. But that did not stop her from acquiring an international professional degree. Her new celebrity status she says is changing mindsets. ''That would never happen earlier in the past. People would not just talk to transgenders. But now they not only talk to me, they invite me home,'' says Rose. In another part of Chennai Priya Babu has emerged to be a successful author. She wants to develop a resource centre for the third gender. ''Education is my biggest strength and also the tamilnadu government has given us so many opportunities,'' says Priya Babu. Transgenders have begun to script success stories in Tamil Nadu. A majority of them are still pushed into prostitution but the more vocal ones in the community are spearheading a campaign to get a transgender nominated to the parliament, state assemblies and local bodies. **********About Kalki********** A post graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, Kalki came out to her parents as a Transgendered child when she was 14. Having gone through the usual nightmares all transgendred children go through, she had the toughest times in schools and colleges where she studied. Still, she managed to finish her B.A in English followed by an M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication. Currently she is pursuing her second M.A. in International Relations. In schools, colleges and universities in India, Transgender students have a tough academic life. Many of them drop out being unable to cope with the insults, harassement and ignorance from fellow students and sometimes even the teachers. Kalki hopes to change this by presenting and conducting seminars, lectures, workshops, presentations and talks on Gender variant people in schools, colleges and Universities. She works and lives in 2 two places. Coimbatore in Tamilnadu, and Auroville, the international township near Puducherry. In the year 2001, she brought out the first tamil magazine for the trasngendred community called 'Sahodari' and encouraged fellow sisters to write and express their thoughts. Several issues later, the magazine had to be temporarily stopped due to lack of financial support. In the year 2006, she found Sahodari Foundation through which she hopes to bring the magazine once again. Only knowledge and education can cure the blindness called ignorance. Kalki works within her community through her writings and she works with the public especially the youth, by creating awareness on Transgender issues. She hopes to break the myths and wipe the misinformation that exist in the society about transgenders. On the professinal side, she is an IT person working as an Independent Media Specialist. She develops web based projects. She is interested in the Film and Television Media. In future, she hopes to travel around the world and work for gender rights for woman and transwoman. Her cherished goal is to work as a cultural ambassador on behalf of India. She wants to work with the UNESCO in the UNO. Write to her at: aurokalki@gmail.com Her FOUNDATION: *******WELCOME TO SAHODARI**** Sahodari Foundation is a one woman mission of Kalki. Through her foundation, she hopes to bring light to the world about the second type men and women of India. The Foundation is involved in creating awareness to the public, especially the youth, in accepting and living with gender variant people. It offers the right information, help and guidance for a better life to the Transgendered community of India through its magazine, website, seminars and workshops. 'Sahodari' means Sister. In early 2001, Kalki found the first magazine in Tamil for Transgendered Community and its name was 'Sahodari'. After 2 years, the magazine had to be stopped due to lack of financial support. The other big option to reach the youth was through the internet. Thus www.sahodari.org was born. The website offers spiritual and psychological support for the transcommunity. It is not a place for beautification of the body. It is a place to beautify your mind. I believe, we can create a world where we can live like angels, with dignity and peace, where we are respected and loved... http://www.sahodari.org/

Man changes sex to marryIn Kolkata) faces social boycott

Man changes sex to marry, faces social boycott
By Krittivas Mukherjee, Indo-Asian News Service

Kolkata, July 10 (IANS) A man who changed his sex to marry another
man is facing social boycott and threats in a small West Bengal town
where people are calling his sexuality "sinister".

Somnath Banerjee took a woman's name, Manabi, after he underwent an
operation to change his sexual organs, but a section of the
townspeople says he is corrupting young minds.

Banerjee, the head of the Bengali department of a college in
Jhargram, a small conservative town about 150 km west of here,
stunned his family and friends when he told them he was a
transsexual and wanted to change to a woman.

Despite heavy odds, Banerjee, who prefers to be addressed in the
feminine gender, underwent the sex change operation and became a
woman.

He then married his male partner Abhijit Pahari, the Bengali daily
Pratidin reported. The newspaper didn't mention when Banerjee
underwent the operation or married Pahari.

Their marriage reportedly has doubtful validity in India that
doesn't recognise homosexuality or gay unions.

Trouble started when people saw Banerjee - now a woman - living with
a man. To the angry townspeople, he was of "funny sexuality".

"The first of the problems began with my landlord who started to
conspire to evict me," Banerjee, who dresses in woman's clothes,
wears lipstick and sports the 'bindi', or dot, on his forehead, was
quoted as saying.

He was jeered on the streets, his house attacked by hoodlums and he
was even locked out of his home by his landlord. The landlord even
disconnected his waterlines, he claims.

"I went to police and the civic authorities but received no help,"
said Banerjee, whose picture - with both hands clasped together,
praying for justice - was published in the newspaper.

He said even local politicians ganged up against him. In the face of
such opposition, his worst blow came when his partner, Pahari, was
taken away by his family.

A section of local people said Banerjee was carrying on "sinister
and anti-social activities" and, finally, some branded him a witch.

"I fear for my life and have approached the authorities with my
apprehensions," he said.

After repeatedly knocking at the doors of police, Banerjee turned to
the state women's commission for help.

The commission approached the district authorities, who earlier this
week finally warned Banerjee's landlord against disturbing him.

But Banerjee remains apprehensive.

"I changed my sex and was living my life happily with Abhijit
(Pahari). But his relatives took him away. Now people want to cast
me out and even kill me. Will sexual minorities continue to be
hounded?" Banerjee asked.

Though homosexuality still remains in the closet in India, many gay
and lesbian groups are beginning to speak up for their rights.

Gay groups are active in more culturally open societies in Mumbai
and Bangalore, but traditionalist cities such as Kolkata are also
seeing homosexuals stand up for their rights.

In a sign of the changing times, every year dozens of gay and
lesbian people walk through this city in support of rights for
sexual minorities.