Kalki Subramaniam sews poetry, art and even a matrimony website together to reflect on and mitigate trans struggles.
In recent years, India has seen quite a few progressive measures in favour of women, trans and the LGBTQIA+ community. A question that persists is whether these pen-and-paper rules percolate through the (un)conscious bias, superstitious beliefs and othering that surrounds the trans community.
As a teenager, Kalki Subramaniam recalls her struggle while coming out to her parents. But the celebrated transwoman 바카라artivist바카라 from Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, considers herself 바카라lucky바카라. Unlike many from the queer community, she was not banished from home and allowed to complete her education. 바카라Trans activism is growing every day, but we have to figure out why the needs of the trans community are not reaching those at the top. It could be because education does not reach our community and our people are not taken seriously,바카라 says Subramaniam.
In her book, We Are Not The Others, a collection of poems, art and articles, which is the reflection of an 바카라artivist바카라, Subramaniam resorts to artistic activism to talk about the victims of 바카라age-old propaganda바카라 that makes a trans-identified person feel like a 바카라misfit within the norms of a society바카라.
바카라Some fathers menstruate
And some mothers can바카라t breastfeed바카라
바카라We Are Not The Others
In August, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) signed a MoU to provide an inclusive and composite health package for transgenders under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY. MoSJE will fund a Rs 5 lakh insurance cover per transgender beneficiary, per annum.
Under the scheme, more hospitals will be empanelled to provide sex reassignment surgeries. 바카라In 2008, Tamil Nadu became the first state government to provide free sex reassignment surgeries to trans people. But there바카라s one big problem. There are enough qualified doctors. But none qualified in sex-change operations,바카라 says Subramaniam. Terming her own surgery 바카라disaster바카라, she recalls feeling as if the doctors were merely experimenting on her body. 바카라They performed surgeries and learnt from our bodies, but we did not know we were being turned into another set of victims.바카라 She further alleges that the surgeons failed to produce any official document as proof of training. 바카라I assume they were in consultation with doctors from across borders or resorting to videos online. I doubt if the government is even aware of this!바카라
바카라...That is how those idiots or should I call them smart doctors learned to do sex reassignment surgeries. They still do, but I heard they make better vaginas these days. As for my vagina, it is only three inches deep and with much difficulty and some great tricks, it could qualify for intercourse. But no, I am not interested in sex anymore and so the shape of my vagina doesn바카라t really matter to me anymore. I want to get rid of what I didn바카라t want, and I got rid of it. That바카라s all that matters to me.바카라
바카라My Perfectly Imperfect Vagina, We Are Not The Others
Trans-identified men and women often opt for 바카라any sex-change surgery바카라, given the lack of education to figure out a good doctor, coupled with meagre resources. Sadly, they find satisfaction with 바카라something is better than nothing바카라 despite putting their health at risk.
In 2009, when a popular matrimonial website rejected Subramaniam바카라s profile, she overnight started Thirunangai Transgender Matrimonial website for transwomen. 바카라I launched the website with just six profiles. In no time, we were flooded with 2,000 marriage proposals from respectable professions,바카라 says Subramaniam. But all the men wanted a 바카라secret marriage바카라. In her book, Subramaniam writes, 바카라From princes to paupers, the Indian men who sent their marriage proposals had no issues about marrying a trans woman, but all wanted a 바카라secret marriage바카라, 바카라secret relationship바카라, 바카라secret love바카라, 바카라secret wife바카라바카라!바카라 A secured marriage and adopting a child remain a distant dream for transwomen.
바카라If this and this
is what strictly defines me as a woman,
then I am not one.
I shall remain half a woman.바카라
바카라Half A Woman, We Are Not The Others
(This appeared in the print edition as "What Every Woman Dreams")