Their cup of woe overflows

By Francis P Barclay

Clad in saree or churidar, they stroll in the streets clapping their hands and also singing in their hoarse voice. Sometimes these blithe beings pick quarrel with others who refuse to part with a buck or two for them; but more often than not, these quarrels end with another bout of clapping and a hoarse song! Are these cheery lot called transsexuals really happy?
Says Priya Babu, a transgender activist: ``People try to sexually harass and mock us. This tempts some to commit even suicide.'' Born with a male physique, each of these star-crossed lot is really a woman within. The urge in them to become women begins at the time of puberty, and
there starts their life of humiliation and misery. Priya says, ``This is a crucial stage in the life of a transsexual.

Ashamed, many try to conceal the fact and lead a painful life.'' What if revealed? Again pain. For the revelation comes as a shock to the parents who have been taking care of them so long. At last, the fret and displeasure of the parents make them leave home. And on the streets, they
are forced to begging and prostitution.
``This is the greatest misery in our lives - leaving the home and parents forever. This happens to every transsexual as the society is not in a position to understand us,'' Priya says.
On the streets, they get united to lead a life of their own in a strange world where relationship is limited to `sisters' and `daughters'. Now, to shed the last of their male identity, they subject themselves to emasculation and enter the fold of `aravanis', a community which has not
been provided with a separate gender category.
``Even the Anglo Indians, who are less in number when compared to us, have reservation in education and employment,'' rues Sabeena Francis. Sabeena, who is an M.Phil degree holder and the first transsexual to get a passport as woman, is working with the Chennai-based voluntary health association.
Kalki, another transsexual working in an MNC, says that a small change is now visible in the lifestyle of the transsexuals. ``There are many transsexuals working as caterers and beauticians. We have our own magazine `Sahodari', which is circulated among our community. The government is also trying to uplift us by providing loans.''
Priya and her theatre troupe present cultural programmes and street plays to educate the transsexuals about their lives and suffering. Despite all these, the transsexuals feel something missing in their lives.

Is it their urge to live as dignified women in society? Or, is it the warmth of family life? Priya, Sabeena and Kalki are silent, but their eyes belie their silence and say ``We miss both.''