Hijra children tend to get hounded out of school, which means they cannot get decent jobs in the

first
place. If their true identity is revealed, they are immediately sacked, even from menial jobs.
They are rejected by their own families. Some of them were given away by their parents just after their
birth. Some are driven away at their puberty when their discordant secondary sexual symptoms are
exposed. Their only shelter is with other hermaphrodites, who raise them.
Hijras usually live in groups of four or five to protect themselves from social sufferings. The eldest one
acts as the head of the group. They name themselves according to their perceived gender identity.

Last week we interviewed 40 people; male and female hailing from different age groups, background,
and creed. They were students, housewives, servants and maids. They were husbands and wives, sons
and daughters, brothers and sisters, friends and family. They were as young as 16, and as old as 60. We
got an overwhelming response.

Our first question to them was What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word
Hermaphrodite or Hijra?. These are some of the responses we got.

All is not lost, though. With time, we are becoming more tolerant of hermaphrodites and transgenders.
We are learning to understand them, recognizing them as fellow human beings. Its a slow process, but
its progress.

Shabnam "Mausi" Bano is the first transgender Indian or Hijra to be elected to public office. She was an
elected member of the Madhya Pradesh State Legislative Assembly from 1998 to 2003. Shabnam
attended two years of primary schooling, but speaks 12 languages that she has learnt during her travels.
As a member of the Legislative Assembly, her agenda includes fighting corruption, unemployment,
poverty, and hunger in her constituency. Shabnam Mausi also intended to use her position in the
Legislative Assembly to speak out against discrimination of hijras as well as to raise awareness on
HIV/AIDS. "I have grown up being called a hijra, she says, That word was like a thorn, which kept
piercing me. But now, people respect me.
Will we ever see a transgender or Hijra elected in our public office? I guess only time will tell.

L: Its not easy being different. What many people dont realize is that there is a distinction between
choosing to be different, and being born different. These people werent given a choice. Ever since
they took their first breath, since the time they learned to walk and talk, theyve known only hatred. M:
They have been neglected, unloved, and chastised by the very family who was supposed to support
them. Now, as adults, they live counting their days, waiting for things to get better. A: They dont dream
of expensive jewelry or fancy clothes. They dont want to live in mansions or ride in fast cars. All they
want, is an identity. A little respect from you and I. Its not that much to ask for.