Transitions: How India's Changing Culture Affects Transgender people and Their Care

By: Olivia Miltner
Produced and Edited By: Charlie Hatch

A group of transgender Indian women. Photo from GLAAD.

When the nurse asked her patient what she wanted to do after the operation and what name she would claim, the patient responded, “I’ll go lingerie shopping,” and “Nyra.”

Later, when she awoke after her surgery, Nyra D’souza was herse
lf.

“The first thing I heard after the surgery was, ‘Nyra, it’s over,’ and that was the most assuring statement that anyone could have ever said to me,” D’souza said.

D’souza completed gender affirmation surgery in May 2016. Now living in Mumbai, she’s one of about 490,000 transgender Indian people, according to the 2011 Indian census.

Her experience, which she described as physically and mentally difficult, reflects changing attitudes toward transgender people in India.

“I’m so happy right now,” D’souza said. “I don’t get up and say, ‘Oh damn, I have to shave today.’”

India is becoming a friendlier place for transgender people; the Indian Supreme Court recognized a third gender in 2014, and this summer, Indian politicians approved a new law that purports to further protect transgender people — though some LGBT activists are unconvinced.

However, Indian transgender communities are still stigmatized, and the conflicting sentiments toward trans people are reflected in the care they receive throughout the country.

When D’souza told her parents she wanted to go ahead with gender affirmation surgery, they told her she would have to do it alone.

“I haven’t seen much support so far,” D’souza said.

In addition to her family’s scorn, D’souza has found little help elsewhere. She included her friends in her transition process, but she said she had to actively seek their help, and she was hurt when they didn’t visit her in the hospital.

“I had to book an appointment with my friends. That’s what I realized.”

After she recovered, her friends would make degrading statements. Once, a friend said, “You need to try very hard to look like a woman because for us it’s fine; we have boobs, we have the real stuff, but for you, you have to like, get into it.”

Some people disagree with the lifestyles of LGBT community members, a sentiment reflected by Indian actress Kavita Radheshyam when she tweeted in June “Aren't #LGBT Against Nature? Whatever Is Against Nature, Shouldn't Live.”

Additionally, various religious organizations have also opposedgovernmental efforts meant to support LGBT people, particularly regarding the decriminalization of gay sex.

D’souza believes her isolation stems from upbringings that reinforce the disapproval of transgender people, and she said prejudice against transgender people, especially from families, is exacerbated when people transition from male to female.

“You always expect a son. You don’t expect a daughter,” D’souza said. “You want a male child.”

Additionally, transgender men are almost invisible. A 2015 New Delhi T.V. story attributed the lack of recognition to how transgender men “have no support system, no spaces of their own.”

The general attitude toward transgender people can range from indifference to fearful, said University of Hyderabad sociology professor Pushpesh Kumar in an email.

“Phobia might translate into violence,” Kumar said. “Trans men, if able to pass off [are] okay, but when not able to pass off could be dangerous. It also depends upon which class the transman/woman belong to.”

Devdutt Pattanaik, a bestselling author on Indian and Hindumythology, believes the conflict surrounding transgender people is, in part, a clash between modern, or Western, ideas and the traditional understandings of gender and sexuality in India.

“Society is aware of queer sexuality and comfortable as long as it is marginal,” Pattanaik said in an email. “But with modern notions of rights, and equality, and justice, that is disrupting traditional orders, there are bound to be tensions.”

A 2014 study published in the International Journal of Transgenderism found seven Indian cities had almost no male to female gender transition services in public hospitals, while “moral positions taken by health care providers might be partially accountable for the lack of gender transition services.”

Transgender women in India pose for a photo.
Picture by R Barraez D'Lucca (Flickr Common)

Despite this, some people see India as an advantageous location to undergo gender affirmation surgery, D’souza’s surgeon Sanjay Pandey said. Pandey works at a Mumbai hospital, and he said people from across Asia are attracted to India’s holistic, transparent and relatively inexpensive health care.

Within India, Pandey said transgender people have become more accepted by society, and care for those looking to transition has become more lucrative, resulting in more doctors working in the field.

“Trans care is a little missing compared to what it should be, but I’m extremely pleased looking at trans care evolving very well,” Pandey said.

However, trans people still often experience inadequate medical care, said Souvik Ghosh, who works at the Chennai-based HIV and AIDS non-profit Saathi, in an article published by the The Guardian in June.

“When they go to the government hospital ... trans people are told to leave or are treated like aliens,” Ghosh said. “Doctors will say they only serve women or men.”

Rajat Gupta, a gender affirmation surgeon at the Sushma Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery Clinic in Delhi, said emphasizing the integration of transgender peopl
e is important..

“I would recommend reservations in jobs for them, better social acceptance. Government should allocate funds for their rehabilitation,” Gupta said in an email. “The social acceptance is still a great challenge.”

In the future, Pandey hopes the threats he sees transgender people face, such as discrimination in employment, to become less common.

“Trans individuals are normal ... please don’t shun them. Please embrace them,” Pandey said.

The changes transgender advocates what to see should come from within India, rather than be externally imposed, Pattanaik said. This, he said, would “demand faith and patience and wisdom.”

After going through her transition, D’souza said other people looking to undergo gender affirmation surgery should make sure to plan ahead. She also said they should expect high medical expenses and the need for assistance, such as a maid, after the surgery.

“You need to be super self-dependent,” she said. 

'Necessary Disclosures'

Posted by - 
Mausumi Bhattacharyya
Centre for Journalism &Mass Communication (CJMC)
Visva-Bharati
Santiniketan, WB, India

Oh OHIO !! It has been an incredible journey so far. Have settled down in this beautiful county of Ohio, Athens. Extremely jet lagged but thoroughly excited, bit hesitant and tremendously curious  - explains my state of mind, when I met the SUSI Program Director. Professor Yusuf Kalyango himself at the Colombus-Ohio airport. The warm welcome by him and his wonderful team made me feel at home immediately. Three weeks have flown past till then. Going through an experience of life-time – spectacular campus, my amazing SUSI colleagues and exchange of ideas with them, visiting wonderful places, gathering loads of information and oh, last but not the least , my two friends with whom I am sharing the apartment – calm and quiet Amel from Sudan and cute, naughty Signe from Estonia, always bubbling with energy!

I thought I have seen the best, but wait, what I saw in the collection of the Alden Library of Ohio University, literally bowled me over. An amazing employee of  the library showed us the ‘Treasure House’ and explained in details regarding the library resources. Being the book-worm I am and a cricket buff ( like any other true Indian), I got glued to a ball like structure in the archive. A ball-shaped, purple-coloured, paper-made stuff, which was kept in a square glass box. The kind lady, in charge of same explained to me what it was and I got perplexed! It was a book!! Yes, a book!

'Necessary Disclosures' kept in a square glass box

The 'ball' book !!

The title is 'Necessary Disclosures'. Author is Sarah Peters. The book has been published by Women’s Studio Workshop in 2003. It's a 3.5*3.5*3.5 inches spherical book made with letterpress on cast cloth. It is attached with book cloth and hook-and-loop fastener and when it gets opened, one can see six nested pages of text. The book is about the relationship of our way of interpersonal interactions with the way we interact as an institution. Sarah Peters has raised questions in relation to our 'private' and 'public' behaviours and also showed connections between our private life with the global arena.

Nested pages of the 'wonder book'

‘Necessary Disclosures’ is a great example of creativity at its best! Both in terms of content as well as the design.

I am grateful to my SUSI journey for experiencing such a wonderful book! Waiting eagerly to share the info with my students and scholars back in India.

NGO Roles in Rehabilitating Women in India’s Red Light District

By: Leisha Lininger
Produced & edited by: Molly Nocheck

Nestled in the Maharashtra district of India, Aruna of Oasis seeks to rehabilitate and free women from the bondage of sexual slavery and give them new skills so that they can leave the practice of selling their bodies. Director Sachin Kamble coordinates services for not only the women of the brothels, but also for the children of the women in the Red Light District. Volunteers come from all over the world to offer their time to these individuals and to open their minds to new cultural experiences.

Departing from their hotel, these volunteers travel via train and then they finally enter the hustle and bustle of the heart of Mumbai, just blocks away from the nationally known Red Light District. Weaving through food stands and vendors calling out for buyers, between cars angrily and incessantly honking while simultaneously braking and speeding, one follows the guide. With all the senses assaulted by the sounds of the horns, the stench of the trash, and the never-ending presence of the heats, the guide ambles on, leading the group to their destination: a non-governmental organization that works with the women in the brothels. The day is Tuesday, the day when women come over to gather for training, counseling, medical attention, and just to get a chance to leave the brothels for an hour or two.

Oasis is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) that boasts branches not only in India but also in the United Kingdom, Bangledash, and around the world. According to the Oasis global website, their mission is as follows: “We're involved in anti-trafficking work, community development, housing, education, water... wherever we go we seek to extend the opportunities that we ourselves are so privileged to have.”


Sabina Kapur* speaks only Hindi and has two young children at home. Even though she does not like selling her body, she depends on the trade in order to provide for her young children. Even though she lives a life of hardship, she still delights in bringing a smile to others’ faces. Looking into the eyes of her visitors, the volunteers, she smiles and intently compliments them with phrases such as “Bahuth sunder hay,” translated, as “You are beautiful.” Her selflessness is evident in all that she does, even in a system that has taken away her freedom and away from her family.

Dimple Patel* has successfully left behind her life in the brothel system, and now volunteers with Aruna to encourage the other women and bring them out of the system. Patel helps host the weekly meeting, which entails a support group for those who have been diagnosed with AIDS.

During the support group, Shraddha Shelke, a longtime faithful employee of Aruna, gathers the women in a circle on the floor. Speaking in the mother tongue of India, Hindi, she explains how AIDS affects one’s body and charts the effects through pictures. Somber, the women listen intently. They are not alone in their struggle.

In a study written by R.D. Fowler in 2005, the Human Rights Watch reports that “more than 50% of Bombay's prostitutes are infected with HIV, with India's red-light districts the primary vector of viral spread into the general population.” Based on the number of clients that utilize the services provided in the Red Light District on a daily basis, the watch estimates that hundreds of people are infected daily with HIV, with 160 million Indians infected and the death toll 10,000 per month by 2000.  

Telangana continues to attempt its secession

By Amber Skorpenske

Edited and produced by Taylor Pool

Telangana, a region in India under the influence of the Andhra Political Lobby, continues to feel deprived even in this present day.

Photo from http://asiknews.wordpress.com/2011/10/01
/telangana-a-brief-report-by-sujaiblog/

After the state of Andhra was pushed to merge with Telangana for its surplus wealth, the marriage yielded many deprivations for the population of Telangana including political, economic and even cultural (many people in Telangana speak Telegu). But even though this movement to join these states happened over 50 years ago, today there still continues to be movements, protests and even suicides against this merger.

It is important to remember that it is not the people of Andhra that are against a Telangana state. It is the “very few” elite Andhra politicians and businessmen who are against it. They are holding this merger because of their vested interest in “real estate” in the capital city of Hyderabad.

Groups in India work toward peace

Many groups exist throughout the region that attempt to educate others about the Telangana movement and to ask for a non-violent movement. One of these is the Telangana Development Forum, a not-for-profit organization that spongers seminars and community events to bring people together to discuss problems faced by Telangana people. Vai Jalajam, a member of this organization says, his struggle began with his grandfather being persecuted after the merger of the states because his inability to speak Urdu.

Jalajam says, “My grandfather was a very successful businessman. After the merger he was left with nothing. He was a college grad and he still had no employment. My uncles, the second generation, had no access to higher education and employment.”

It is very important to Vai Jalajam to help in the cause and to have Telangana secede, as it’s own state. He says, “It is most important that we are no longer colonized by some elite Andhra capitol and power lobbyists.”

While groups and non-profits that fight for this cause state this is a non-violent movement, reports from citizens who live in areas like Hyderabad are different.

Leigha Garcia-George, an American who recently moved to Hyderabad says, “When I go to work in the morning there have been several times I have seen buses on fire, protests in the streets and even suicides from university students. It seems like a normal way of life around here and it’s taken some getting used to.”

When confronted with the violence question, Vai Jalajam says that several of the protests have included, hunger strike camps, students walking against police brutality and mining strikes. He then goes on to say that many students have “self immolated” and died protesting the cause.

Jalajam still believes that this is a peaceful movement, saying, “Violence is relative. Yes there have been buses that were burnt when Central Government took back it statements and Andhra leaders statues were demolished. Again, I could go on and on about this but there never was a movement more non-violent and peaceful than the Telangana movement.”

The public opinion is split

But how does the general public feel about this movement? Leigh Garcia-George says, “At this point, I think it’s unfortunate that people are dying. But it’s mostly a nuisance for my husband and I when we go to work. The traffic jams and street closings just keep happening.”

Others seem reluctant that Telangana should secede and believe that this may lead to other problems.

Manish Patel, a Business Manager and Bayer employee says, “If the secession happens it could lead to other smaller communities and regions in other states of India to want to secede and form their own state.” Patel also believes that this may eventually lead to destabilization of the entire government structure as more and more smaller regions now want different things, in turn leading to making rules and regulations in India more complex.

Others believe that the Telangana’s need to keep their culture intact is a reason to not “move forward” with the times.

Neha Kasudhan, a student in Noida Area, India says, “Is backwardness really a reason for a separate state? This situation is general public views that are fighting without knowing what it will actually cause.”

Having said this, Manish Patel still recognizes and respects why Telangana would want to be separate. He says, “I can understand why the region would want to secede as the people of the region want their own identity to be represented in the government rather than a mixture of several different identities.”

TeleguOne news team member Dilip Kumar Chowdary gathered some statistics from the Bureau of Economics and Statistics to give readers a better understanding of the Telangana situation.

Kumar says, “The scenario in Andhra Pradesh is different than other states.”

It’s true. Telangana is the most densely populated, the healthiest region, the biggest economy and agriculture. With this report there is no reason why Telangana wouldn’t be able to sustain itself, as it’s own state. However, there is also a great amount of people, both Adhra officials and residents of Hyderabad that think things are fine just as they are. Of course the population must take into account how this will affect other regions that are trying to secede. With India having such a large and diverse population with many cultures it is important to think of all the reactions and effects a big decision like this could mean. Only time will tell if the marriage between Andhra and Telangana will end in divorce.

Mumbai: A City of Extremes

By Rachel Ferchak, SUSI web manager

Immediately after I stepped off Lufthansa Flight 934 at midnight, the murky humidity hit me like a stone wall. That same humidity was incessant the entire week I was in Mumbai, India.

My first impressions of the city were those seen through the dusty windows of a 1970s bus, which took our group of Ohio University students an hour away to our clean, air-conditioned hostel in Mumbai Central.On the rickety bus ride through the city, we passed homes with tin roofs and walls made of billboard signs. There were families sleeping on concrete sidewalks with their only extra clothes hanging on thin lines of rope.

The faint smells transitioned from diesel fumes to dust, from manure to burning tires. But, as we neared the hostel, the city began to smell like smog and traffic. In fact, the weather for Mumbai often reads “smoke” or “haze” on weather.com.

After nearly 24 hours of travel, we had finally arrived.

Culture Shock

Mumbai is a city with two different worlds: extreme wealth and abject poverty. On one hand, it is home to the glitz and glamour of Bollywood. But on the other, Mumbai has nearly 1.2 million people living on 20 rupees per day, or less than 50 cents, according to The Times of India.
Many Americans don’t see the side of poverty that I witnessed in Mumbai. Everyday, I watched children playing in the chaotic streets, children who were dressed in outgrown, filthy T-shirts and shorts. Dirt and dust were the only things covering their delicate feet. Young children carried their infant siblings.

Everywhere I went, children held out their hands asking for money. The only English words they knew were “food” and “money.” Although we were told not to give the children money, we were told to treat them like children. We crouched to their level and asked them, “Aapka naam kya hai?” or “What is your name?” in Hindi.

The children would immediately respond by putting their hands down. Their faces lit up as they gave their names. Then, I would open a bag of Chickadees cheddar snack crackers and give it to them. And, usually, they smiled and walked away.

Nearly half of Mumbai’s estimated 20 million people live in slums or shantytowns. Entire families live in 9-by-9 spaces, which function as the kitchen, bedroom and living room. In terms of material possessions, these people have virtually northing. But, they do have community. They depend solely on each other for love and support, and they can relate to one another.

One evening, I walked through an alley by our hostel. Shanties aligned either side of the street. As I wandered down the street, families gathered for their evening meals, and children ran around playing with the other neighbor children. On a single mattress without shelter, one young woman read to her sleepy infant. A grandmother, mother and two children slept outdoors on a cot. It’s almost as if the people in the shantytown are tucked away in a completely different world. Upon exiting the street, sure enough, there stood the main road with an illuminated McDonald’s and three-story shopping mall.

The Taste of Mumbai

In India, it seems as though everything has a zip to it: omelets, plain rice, McDonald’s sandwiches, you name it. But one thing I found particularly odd was the masala soda and masala spice chai. Masala is generally a mix of cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper. So, I’m pretty sure you can imagine what masala soda would taste like. Many of us tasted the beverage, and we all had similar facial reactions. Our faces puckered up, and we struggled to swallow. The drink resembled carbonated salt water. One sip was enough for me.

Although many of the others on my trip were craving pizza by the end of our week, the food was one of the things I enjoyed most about India. But I tend to like strong flavors and spices. I’ve heard that most international food served in America is completely different from the native cuisine, but I did not sense much of a difference between American-Indian food and authentic Indian cuisine.

Because of religious restrictions, India is a vegetarian’s paradise. Restaurants are labeled either “veg” or “non-veg.” Even if the restaurant is “non-veg,” rest assured that there is always a vegetarian option. For example, I sampled the mildly spicy, lightly fried McVeggie at McDonald’s. Or at Kentucky Fried Chicken, the menu includes options such as the Veg Zinger, Veggie Snacker and Veg Rice and Strips.

A Change of Heart

Nervously, I followed a group of four women through narrow, damp alleys. Where am I? Fear and confusion started to set in. Those feelings increased with every step. The men who passed me stared, and I felt uneasy.

I was told prior to this walk, that I was going into one of the darkest areas of the city. And I sensed the weight of that darkness.

Ten minutes later, I, along with three other women from OU and four Indian women from the Mumbai Aruna Project, arrived at a run-down, four-story building. We walked through the doorway and could see nothing. My heart pounded. Our eyes struggled to adjust as we staggered up the filth-covered staircase. Then, finally, sunlight appeared from a room at the top of the steps.

The Indian women instructed us to take off our shoes, enter the illuminated room and sit on the large couch. We obeyed.

As we entered, ten Indian women — all of whom were between 14 and 25 years old — sat on the couches laughing, putting on makeup and styling their beautiful black hair. They are my age. My age.

With the help of the women with the Aruna Project, we were able to converse and interact with the girls. Their eyes sparkled as they laughed. But we knew that behind those young faces, there was something different about their lives. Something we, as American women, could not understand.

After saying our goodbyes, we entered another room. And that is where my heart sank. The girls in this room told us they were 15 years old, but they were obviously closer to 10. I can still see the face of one child with round glasses and pigtails. She could not have been older than nine. How could anyone do this to his or her child? I thought. Each of these girls sees an average of seven men every night. Prostitution is the only life they know.

__

The majority of the women were sold into the slave trade by family members when they were between the ages of 7 and 11. These 40,000 women are forced to attend to the more than 300,000 men who go to the brothels every night.

The sexual slave trade is like a cell, the women at the Aruna Project told us. (Many of the women who work at the Aruna Project were once prostitutes, and they can speak from experience.) When these little girls first enter the brothels, they are kept in chains and not allowed to see the sunlight for a few years. During those years, the girls are psychologically and physically abused. They are beaten down so that when they are finally released from the chains, they will not want to leave. As the girls get older, they are given more “freedom,” but if they go outside the brothel, they are accompanied by a pimp. Eventually, they are allowed to travel by themselves; however, they must pay.

We often wonder, Why don’t they just run away? As a part of the psychological abuse, the women begin to believe that the life of prostitution and sexual abuse is better than life on the streets. To those women, life on the street means having no food, shelter or money, all while still being sexually abused.

But there is hope: the Aruna Project.

The Aruna Project is a Christian organization dedicated to the rescuing of women and children from the sexual slave trade. Because of the years of abuse these women endure, the Aruna Project must build relationships and trust with them. The Project offers counseling, health care and skills training so the women will be able to function independently in society. Since the organization started nearly ten years ago, it has rescued more than 150 women.

The Project not only rescues women, but it also reaches out to their children. Aruna has a partnership with the Salvation Army, which provides a home and schooling for the children of prostitutes. I had the chance to visit the Salvation Army and play with the children, ages five through 14, who study the core subjects, as well as English and the Bible. It warms my heart to know that these children are the future. Let’s just say that that was the best way to spend my last day in India, with hope.