New Delhi: Indian Institute of Mass Communication marked the presence of hundreds of transgender from the city for the screening of the documentary, ‘The Transition’. Organised by Gail India Limited in association with Anwesha Kala Kendra this event witnessed the presence of some notable people from the community like Kalki Subhramanium and Rudrani Chettri.
The documentary was made by Anwesha Brahma, an alumnus of IIMC which expresses the status quo of the transgender from Odisha especially after the Supreme Court of India declared ‘the transgender’ as ‘the third gender’ in 2014. It establishes the other side of the lives of the transgender where they lead a life with the same hopes and expectations as any other individual.
A panel discussion was also organized after the screening on, ‘Making Transgenders Rights a reality in India. Kalki Subhramanium said during the discussion that, ‘The idea of discrimination for the people of the third gender starts from the family itself wherein the members of the family start treating you as an unwanted. Though the Supreme Court has identified them as the third gender there are still issues which needs to be taken care of at the ground level’.
Expressing her opinion about section 377, Rudrani Chettri said, ‘Article 377 was upheld by the SC. It says unnatural sex (anything other than the heterosexual intercourse) is criminal. By that definition, any sexual activity by the transgender becomes criminal by default. The Court should make us an exception as with this judgment we become criminals in front of the law’.
People from foundations like Mitr Trust, Sahodari Foundation and Aarohan were also part of the event. The event ended with an appeal made by Rani Patel, founder of Aarohan requesting people to open up their minds and treat the people of third gender with equality.
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