They dance and sing, now work for NGOs, teach underprivileged children and even work in private organisations to earn a living. Finally recognised as the third gender, the transgenders will constitute a sizeable part of the Delhi voters this Assembly election.
The Hindu spoke to a few of them to find out their expectations from the upcoming government.
“We have been legally recognised as the third gender, but we still face an identity crisis. Many of us do not have our address proofs because we are forced to leave our homes at a young age. In the absence of the documents, many of us are still without IDs including the voter ID card,” said Noorie, who works as a consultant with an NGO.
“I want the new government to relax norms for us so that those who are still without documents can get our IDs made easily. An affidavit signed by our gurus should be accepted for getting an ID. Without that, we will be unable to take a house on rent, apply for education or job,” she added.
Another transgender, Harish, who now likes to be identified as Deepika teaches dance to underprivileged children. She said: “I want a government that respects me and my community like others. If that happens, I will like to open my own dance school for children.”
Sneha said: “I want to do a respectable job but there are hardly any options for us. The new government should create employment opportunities for us.. None of us want to be sex workers but many are forced into it in the absence of respectable jobs.”
William, who is now Sapna, said: “I am not going to vote for the BJP because I know that their party will not support us. My vote might go to the Aam Aadmi Party, because they have promised to support us.”
