On equal footing

Amarjot Kaur

That Chandigarh became the first Union Territory to set-up a 14-member Transgender Welfare Board has paved the way for many firsts to define the fate of city-based transgenders. For the first time now, the biggest cultural extravaganza, Chandigarh Carnival (at the ground opposite The Government Museum and Art Gallery), has a transgender stall, spearheading the cause of creating awareness about transgenders.

What started as a 'fight for right' by Panjab University's first transgender student 47-year-old Dhananjay Chauhan's need for a separate toilet has now taken the shape of a movement by the Welfare Board of which Dhananjay is a non-official member. Not only did the city give its transgenders their much-deserved right to identity with the title 'Mx' to be used instead of Ms or Mr, the board is also in talks to give the community financial support, be it a hostel at Panjab University, their education fees, or for sex reassignment surgery.

At the carnival, six transgenders, headed by Dhananjay, play hosts at the stall while talking to visitors. On the first day of the carnival, they seem to have received a 'mixed response'. "People look at us and get scared at first, then they look a little shocked, then they seem to come up hesitatingly, and talk to us with an obvious discomfort expressed in both, their body language and their expressions," says Dhananjay, who is also a member of the NGO Saksham Trust.

He is accompanied by five other transgenders, out of which, four are students, while Sam Hardy (32) is a transsexual undergoing a sex reassignment treatment. "I am a woman, but I have undergone breast removal surgery, and I am taking hormone replacement treatment for now...until I make enough money for the surgery," he says.

Reportedly, the PGIMER conducted seven sex reassignment surgeries (SRS). "We are hoping to find a way where healthcare, especially SRS, is available to our community at nominal prices, or free of cost, but nothing has been finalised yet," adds Dhananjay.

However, Divya (28) from the Hindi Department, Oshin (20) Department of German, and Preeti (19) of Fashion Technology Department rue over matters related to education and accommodation. "No one gives us rooms to stay in. Often, transgenders are ostracised by their families so there's no financial support, thus education and accommodation is a haunting worry," they share. "And even if we do study, what about jobs? Also, I am genuinely against the idea of Transgender Protection Bill that aims to set up a screening committee to identify transgenders... the issue is more complex than we think... I support NALSA Judgement instead," opines Dhananjay.

Besides Chandigarh Carnival, Dhananjay informs, the board has taken up with the administration that the community marks its presence at all prominent festivals in the city to campaign for their issues, concerns, and create awareness about transgenders in the city. Djananjay quips, "So, you might see us at the Rose Festival too... I'm glad that we have their curiosity."

Perhaps, soon, they will have your attention too. 

amarjot@tribunemail.com