Maya Menon feels a surge of buried femininity rise through her. She senses a different mood, a desire to revel in suppressed womanhood. So she drapes a sari and stays indoors. To the outer world, she is a male professional. Any disclosure can mean a loss of job and of course ostracism.
It is this dilemma of the transgender community that Sharmila Nair seeks to address. A Literature graduate but designer by talent, Sharmila designs and retails saris online through her label, Red Lotus. Inspiration came with the Kerala Government’s policy for the LGBT community—no discrimination on any grounds. But Sharmila, like most, was unsure about the commune—who they are, what they do, where they live, why are they so and such. Determined and inspired enough that the LGBT community needs to be supported from all quarters, she has launched a collection of saris, as a compelling recognition of the need for society to accept the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
Maya says on the initiative, “This is a great thing that Sharmila has done for us, recognising us as individuals, with our traits and characteristics. It is a tribute to people like us who have so far been socially boycotted. I enjoyed modelling and shooting for the sari line.”
When Sharmila firmed up on her idea to design for the LGBT community, she had virtually no clue about their lives, their world. She contacted Dr. Jijo Kuriakose the founder of Queerala, an online community of Kerala’s LGBT and sexual minorities. “I started researching; what percentage of such people are there in Kerala? That’s how I met Jijo and he introduced me to my two models Maya and Gowri. Queerala has helped me understand the world of the transgender.”
“Queerala, which is Queer plus Kerala began with 12 members. We are now 350 registered Malayali members. We focus on connecting people, on creating awareness and having tie ups with other organisations. The media does not even discuss homosexuality, so any initiative championing the cause is welcome,” says Jijo, pleased at Sharmila’s efforts at mainstreaming the community.
To understand the travails faced by them, Sharmila watched the screening of Ka Bodyscapes , a 2016 film by Jayan K. Cherian. “I was surprised at the turnout at the screening of the film at Cinepolis. There were so many people. The theatre was crowded; in fact, people were sitting on the floor too. It is a gay-centric film and deals with the issues faced by LGBT. It deals with misogyny and homophobia. Until I watched this film I only knew about hijdas , eunuchs and the ridicule they faced. I felt a deep sense of guilt in the way society had treated the community; they face unforeseen hardships. I was determined that I should create a clothesline dedicated to them, inspired by them,” says Sharmila.
What Sharmila did not foresee was the discouragement she would face once she undertook the project. Her friends and well wishers warned her that this would brand her too as one, of a different gender. “But my husband and parents supported me and encouraged me to go ahead.”
Jijo arranged for two models and the shoot was at Vypeen Church and its surroundings. During the shoot too Sharmila says there were hurdles. The make up guy would play truant and the reason was obvious. But soon things fell in place. A nun in the church was most understanding and offered the classrooms in a nearby school compound for the models to dress up.
Gowri says, “Sharmila needs to be congratulated. I have never modelled before as this platform is not open to us yet. This is a very good beginning, it is an innovative step, a path breaking move. I really enjoyed myself.” Gowri who lives in Kottayam is a blog writer. She is sensitive to the way society treats them. “I am of the opinion that we should not be referred to as transgender or third gender. We can be called special man or social woman, or something to that effect.”
When Sharmila began designing, she thought of the rainbow that represents the LGBT community internationally. “I thought of the seven colours, the whole idea is about happiness and so the colour palette had to be bright, with contrasting colours.” The collection is made of Hubli cottons—organically dyed handlooms with jute borders.
Gowri’s favourite colour is pink and she loves to wear the sari. “It makes me feel complete,” says the 30-year-old, while Maya too loves the garment. She would borrow it from her sisters and wear it secretly until now.
As the sari line goes on sale, the video of the shoot on Red Lotus FB page has created a cyber wave. “People are not only congratulating me but also placing orders for the saris. But the icing on the cake is when they want to buy the saris worn by Maya and Gowri, as a tribute to the community that has so far been socially marginalised.”
The collection is available on Red Lotus FB page.
