This blog is due to the very thought provoking comments I got on my last blog.
Thank you guys, I have an intelligent and socially aware family and friends.
So before you read this, please read this and also the comments section
As a reply to all the comments:
I second the inclusion of a column in the genders section. An M and F and an others, which I did actually find in some form I filled recently, but positively donot remember which one.
An inclusion of a rest room, atleast in MNC's and other urban buildings. If not in all floors of a building, atleast in some
About their inclusion in panchayats/being a talk show host and such extremely rare sucess stories.
How many of us, are David Beckham? None. There maybe those rare sparks of jewels in any clan, who have the grit, determination and resolve to beat the society and its norms. But she is just the David Beckham of their clan. What about the normal average people among them? People like you and me.
We goto school --> write the medical/engineering entrance --> Join an engineering college -->Give a try at the MBA entrance --> Get recruited into a company -->Get married by 24/27--> Have kids
(Not necessarily in that order) Most of this we do, because society expects us to.
Transgender is like a weight gain gone very very bad, or like extreme hair loss. It affects their confidence, sense of worth, and self esteem at all levels.
Most of us are people who didnt have the guts to pursue anything else other than engineering. Who are scared to apply lipstick,(if we didnt before) or even get a stylish haircut. All cause we are scared what people around us will say or "think" about us. We do as the society does, as society accepts.
For trangenders the norm is
Goto school --> Start showing strange physical symptoms -->Thrown out of their homes--> Accepted into their pseudo trangender family--> Most of them are into begging and/or prostitution-->Become either or both
What I expect Governments to do is to change this flow of events. From the root level like Ansikka has mentioned.
Goto school -->Start showing strange physical symptoms -->Send to special schools/continue education due to the very strict indiscrimination rules present in the country--> Go to college( engineering or otherwise)-->Get a job( with or without the MBA entrance) ---> Have a medical insurance which covers trangender operation if they chose to have one --> Have a life.
The rules which a Government can bring, is the root level change. It would be just like the helmet-compulsory rule for bike riders. We loathe it, but we still do it, and after a little resistance which any change brings, WE GET USED TO IT!
About the numbers of eunuchs being very very low, there maybe just be one of them or two of them. But they are still present, and very much in need of equal rights. The begging rackets are much more prevalant in metros, probably the reason,why it isnt prevalant in Kerala.
I think Kerala will catch up soon, After all , some of the top notch begging rackets are headed by malayalees. [ How do I even know this? ]
Fighting back or defying the society is too tough, like all of us, these are normal people,who prefer to take the easy way out. What I have been trying to tell is to make their easy way out, a normal one.
Showing posts with label Baaki Mein Bhool Gayi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baaki Mein Bhool Gayi. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Caught in Traffic
Disclaimer: I am not a social worker, not even close. I maybe a dormant philanthropist, but that’s about it
Yet there are ideas I completely believe in.
Equality, Indiscrimination and the Singular Power of Education
On my way to work, few are the days, when me or anyone of my unfortunate colleagues, do not get thoroughly walked all over by an eunuch beggar. While they curse, abuse, harass, push, pull all over our early morning freshness, most of us, are willing to pay them anything, to avoid public humiliation.
This is the very reason eunuchs (or men dressed as one) have single handedly conquered the traffic stops in Bangalore.
Their overt sexuality, uninhibiting ways and harassing persuasion definitely gains an upper hand over sympathy which a blind or physically handicapped can ever generate
I however, have recently overcome the discomfort they put me in, and have decided not to bend down to their harassment ,public humiliation or otherwise.
They seem healthy enough to earn their own living.
Or Are they?
Why is that I have never met a eunuch in person in my day to day life. Not in school, not in college, not at work. Not even as a domestic help ( I think they would make great ones, if given the chance) .
So does it mean that we as a society have refused to give them any place other the streets?
Does being born with a confused sexuality lead them to a life of begging or prostitution? Or is it that they chose the easy way around. Most of them are towering and seemingly healthy people, with intelligent tricks up their sleeve. While I see blind, deaf and physically handicapped people working in my office or leading seemingly normal lives, why cant they?
I am sure, their mental stamina,capabilities or talent are not affected by any physical deformity. Has our society shunned these unfortunate people?
Is there anything we can do to rehabilitate them in the society? I agree begging is easy money, but is it?
If they have the means for education and can be accepted in spite of their seemingly incoherent voice and looks, cant they function as normal individuals?
Even though it’s been 50 years since independence, our “reservations” are still highly caste based, which as I see is non existent. Can we by any chance, get a reservation in place for eunuchs, not just for public office, but essentially for education ?
The Govt or the NGO’s can do what they have to, but the core change to be bought is in the mindset of the common man. How many of us can be liberal enough to actually tolerate a queer person in our immediate neighborhood?
Me thinks, this is what needs to be done
1. Humans are adaptive! Period. In the same way we get used to a blind colleague or a wheel chair clad neighbor, we will get used to eunuchs. Seeing them every morning should have already tuned our minds
2. Reservation of atleast one or two seats for them in colleges and schools
3. If required special schools in place for people identified as eunuchs
4. Once educated they shouldn’t be discriminated or favored for employment
5. Programs of self sufficiency
There is no word of caution for a distraught family who cannot accept their child as imperfect. There might be families who disown their children, once they are recognized to be queer. But if the families chose to disown them, at least they should have a safe cultured society to accept them.
With their undiverted energy,they can sure become an intelligent workforce for any country instead of wasting away on streets. And what do we get in return?
Peaceful travel to our workplace and fresher mornings.
Yet there are ideas I completely believe in.
Equality, Indiscrimination and the Singular Power of Education
On my way to work, few are the days, when me or anyone of my unfortunate colleagues, do not get thoroughly walked all over by an eunuch beggar. While they curse, abuse, harass, push, pull all over our early morning freshness, most of us, are willing to pay them anything, to avoid public humiliation.
This is the very reason eunuchs (or men dressed as one) have single handedly conquered the traffic stops in Bangalore.
Their overt sexuality, uninhibiting ways and harassing persuasion definitely gains an upper hand over sympathy which a blind or physically handicapped can ever generate
I however, have recently overcome the discomfort they put me in, and have decided not to bend down to their harassment ,public humiliation or otherwise.
They seem healthy enough to earn their own living.
Or Are they?
Why is that I have never met a eunuch in person in my day to day life. Not in school, not in college, not at work. Not even as a domestic help ( I think they would make great ones, if given the chance) .
So does it mean that we as a society have refused to give them any place other the streets?
Does being born with a confused sexuality lead them to a life of begging or prostitution? Or is it that they chose the easy way around. Most of them are towering and seemingly healthy people, with intelligent tricks up their sleeve. While I see blind, deaf and physically handicapped people working in my office or leading seemingly normal lives, why cant they?
I am sure, their mental stamina,capabilities or talent are not affected by any physical deformity. Has our society shunned these unfortunate people?
Is there anything we can do to rehabilitate them in the society? I agree begging is easy money, but is it?
If they have the means for education and can be accepted in spite of their seemingly incoherent voice and looks, cant they function as normal individuals?
Even though it’s been 50 years since independence, our “reservations” are still highly caste based, which as I see is non existent. Can we by any chance, get a reservation in place for eunuchs, not just for public office, but essentially for education ?
The Govt or the NGO’s can do what they have to, but the core change to be bought is in the mindset of the common man. How many of us can be liberal enough to actually tolerate a queer person in our immediate neighborhood?
Me thinks, this is what needs to be done
1. Humans are adaptive! Period. In the same way we get used to a blind colleague or a wheel chair clad neighbor, we will get used to eunuchs. Seeing them every morning should have already tuned our minds
2. Reservation of atleast one or two seats for them in colleges and schools
3. If required special schools in place for people identified as eunuchs
4. Once educated they shouldn’t be discriminated or favored for employment
5. Programs of self sufficiency
There is no word of caution for a distraught family who cannot accept their child as imperfect. There might be families who disown their children, once they are recognized to be queer. But if the families chose to disown them, at least they should have a safe cultured society to accept them.
With their undiverted energy,they can sure become an intelligent workforce for any country instead of wasting away on streets. And what do we get in return?
Peaceful travel to our workplace and fresher mornings.
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