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  • Essay / Life Experiences of Transgenders

    The walls of our temples and the pages of our epics speak of the sexual fluidity that was part of ancient India. But times have changed. Globalized India has placed sexuality in watertight compartments, thereby leading to a loss of its living history. Alternative sexualities have always prevailed among us, but the question is whether we consider them part of us. This article takes an in-depth look at alternative sexualities and prevailing prejudices against transgender people. Transgender people are people with a gender identity/expression that would be different from their assigned sex and if they wish to transform from one gender to another for medical assistance, then they are called transsexuals. Transgender is a broad term that includes even people who do not need to be male or female. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay There are a variety of terms used by members of the transgender community to describe themselves, such as transsexual, transgender, gender queer, and more. always use the term that the individual prefers. This research draws on the case studies of eight transgender people from the Cochin region of Kerala and to understand their experiences. The cases include details about when they became aware of their identity, how they came out of it, their social networks, and their other past and current experiences. We learn how socialization plays a huge role in our lives and how our experiences are based on the lifeworld from which we come. Here, the research attempts to understand the difference in each sample's lifeworld and how this shaped their experiences. The transgender community of Kerala in particular does not follow any particular community such as Hijra, Sivasakthi and most of the time the community tends to leave the state to join these communities or find their own life. It is interesting how a community as such tries to survive in a society that does not have much visibility of the transgender community. Kerala, until recent years, did not have much of a transgender community or they were not as widely noticed as before because most of them, being ostracized by their families, are looking for some sort of survival and thus end up in places like Bombay, Bangalore, etc. which is considered the hub of the transgender community. The different systems such as Hijra, Shivashakthi, Joggama etc. provide shelter and assistance to these new members. Until recently, LGBTQ rights in Kerala were very bright and so we see many members of the community coming out of their shell and we also see their presence in many sectors including fashion, makeup, cultural forms and even in the bureaucracy. The objective of my study is to understand the transgender gender process and life experiences of transgender groups in Kerala. Kerala, as a state, has come up with effective ways to integrate the transgender community into society. Opening of Sahaj International School for Transgenders in Kochi, Metro Rail Project etc. are some of the highlights so far. Cities like Kochi. Trivandrum, Kochi Calicut has many organizations working for the welfare and development of communities and they are also very vibrant. The government's metro rail project was a way to educate and give employment opportunities to the transgender community. The role of metro station operators, ticket counters, etc. was entrusted to thetransgender community. However, the project was not as successful as expected. The project team did not understand how difficult it is for the community to survive without a roof. With the salary they receive, it was also almost impossible to survive. Thus, a large part of the community had to quit their jobs and return to begging and prostitution. The community usually lives in a household where there is a chelaamma relationship and they also have certain obligations towards their community which they now call family, when they live with them. According to the community, they cannot live outside because many people are not ready to offer them apartments or rooms for rent due to the prejudices that exist against them and when they live with their community, they are obliged to take care of them properly. well, in the end money is nowhere enough to survive. However, upon further research, I was able to find some transgender people still working at the station, and through her, I was able to reach out to a few others as well. Another incident in Kochi came as a shock and disappointment to the community. A group of transgender people attacked an Uber driver and attempted to rob him. However, they were arrested by the police. Again, incidents like this are what continues to cause community at large to be questioned by society at large. Various such incidents, most of which will occur in the coming year, show that the transgender community is more visible these days. The establishment of various organizations for the welfare of the community as well as various projects of the government have also shown some impact on the growth of the community. However, in the research we can identify how most samples attempt to live a double life as transgender and as a person of the assigned gender. Even more interesting to know that most of them are active volunteers of organizations working for the transgender community but struggle to make their identity understood to their families and society, thus forcing them to lead a life like this- here. Here, by reviewing each case, we will be able to identify how each case's experience is different based on its caste, class, religion, status, etc. Additionally, notice how there is a division within the community based on their own statuses and classes which they have adopted primarily based on their vices and character. The transgender community has always existed in our society and has also been part of our religious texts. We have always known the community, but we have always kept it apart from society. The community has always been excluded from the rest of society and even today when we see the pattern changing a bit, the division within the community itself makes it more difficult for them to be accepted into society. Transgender plays a huge role in India because most of the mythological texts in India talk about transgender. Various episodes of Rama and Arjuna clarify the transgender community. Thus, we see how they are worshiped mainly in northern India and some southern parts, but not in Kerala. Although these texts are also followed in Kerala, they are obviously not revered like in India. We see that even though the community is mistreated and mocked, it is also considered good luck and an omen in certain respects. In many temples in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, they also worship 'Aravan', where men come disguised as women and make offerings. Here, even the transgender community is also participating in the process. Transgender is an individual who is neither.