It is hard to spell out as they fear to reveal to those who fail to understand that they too are part of society 'To know me you need to understand because I am not here to be classified or objectified but allowed to live a life that has been gifted equally to all but for me being an example of just a diverse classification of all that you both are. Treat me like just another version of you as I am here to live just like you.'

A category ! to make it very obvious as to what 'they' are. Always being looked down upon, always disregarded and sadly objectified. Strange it is and very difficult to describe them to a very young mind who only has learnt about 'him' and 'her'. We often try to avoid, and change our ways if they are in sight. With opportunities never knocking a door they take to the streets and often spend the entire day outside. A life lived with no fault of their own but because of the gender discrimination of society.

If you trace back history they have existed and have played a significant role. And their existence has never been ignored. The terms 'trityaprakriti' or third gender and terms 'napasuka' have been used in epics, mythology, and history. It is believed that when Lord Rama was sent to exile he instructed all men and women to return back to the city. Since the 'hijras', another term used for transgender, did not fall in this category, they decided to follow him. Pleased by their devotion he gave them the right to confer blessings on occasions such as childbirth, marriage and inauguration. This began the custom of congratulating or 'badhai' by this community. In Mahabharata too when Bhishma abducted Princess Amba for his stepbrother, who later refused to get married to her, Amba took her own life. She was born to king Drupad again and named Shikhandini. She changed her sex and named herself Shikhandi as her only aim was to take revenge. In the battle of Kurukshetra Bhishma recognised her and lowered his weapon against a woman. Since Shikhandi was on Arjun's chariot, Bhishma could not attack her and this led to him being killed by Arjun. These are just two to make you understand the existence that has been recognised in times ahead of us.

The power of the transgender is in them itself. They are often prey to neglect, amusement, and disparity, and struggle hard to survive in society. Debarred from equal participation and opportunities in a society whose people fail to understand their plight. Despite being treated as an object, there is fear of what they utter. It is believed that their blessings can make a pauper rich and a curse destroy an empire or identity. So whenever they come to you, you need to please them for your own self and your dignity. Is it really that they curse or is it their anger against those who seem to control society and its norms, it's beliefs, and customs? They adorn a confused appearance that reflects their discrimination in society. They know not where they belong for none seem to understand that what you are born as, is not something in control, but what you can become has a lot to do with you. From a distance, you can hear them with their loud, harsh voices and the clap, an identity that cannot be ignored. Maybe a loud cry to tell you all, that they too exist and need to be part of the society. The clap is significant, a loud rebuke to the inequality in a fake society. A society which works at its own beliefs, a society that judges you on grounds that seem so irrelevant, a society in which laws speak loud but their implementation takes too long.

They stay in groups that roam around together. Are they insecure or do they display their solidarity to make you understand they have just them to fend for themselves against society? They walk on the same road but they never reach their destination. There are a lot of obstacles, deviations, abuse, and insults that come their way but they stand strong against this humiliation by humans who are just like them.

Unfortunate that humans discriminate against someone who couldn't help but naturally be born like this. The world has changed and opinions too a bit, yet not much has changed for them. What you see, that makes them stand out from the crowd is a human who reflects on this superficial society, one which forbades or objects to their presence, denying them socio, economic, medical, and educational rights. This denial leaves them with no option but to beg or engage in activities which society looks down upon.

We all have seen their numbers increase in these years as now the categories on a sheet of paper do not classify as just 'male' or 'female' but 'others'. They are now not hesitant to reveal who they are. Vague is such a categorisation, till date, we could not give them a name that would mean they belong to us. They are still termed as 'others' as society still considers their presence, a taboo.

Sex determination before birth has been barred in our country, we only pray for the arrival and health of our child. We are always happy to share the good news on the arrival of the baby. Yet what this child grows to be, not knowing what is unusual about their behavior or mannerisms, takes time and when they do understand and share or explain, comes as a disturbing truth that those who gave them life hesitate to reveal because of the society they live in.

'How do we describe ourselves? Someone who does not identify with who they were born as or someone who accepts what has been bestowed upon them or someone who has been bold enough to face the world telling everyone that this is who we are and we belong to you and your society.' We still do not seem to acknowledge them, we still do not feel right to associate ourselves with them. They survive as a community who wants to be part of us, who want to be amongst us, to be respected by us, the ‘ others’ for them. It is a fight to live, it is a fight to be accepted, it is a fight to grow, and a fight to survive. 

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