Are you born Hijra? Yes at heart. Physically male-Joya. In Bangladesh a myth is that Hijra a term use for transsexuals, transvestite (cross dresser) are sect, who begets a Hijra. Unfortunately I find media reports vague too. It seems that beside the criteria of readership, personal prejudice seep in especially about ‘their sexuality’. We are a tolerant Society, but in constant denial of their existence, classifying and casting them aside like garbage to be thrown away. As I dig deep I find them also trapped inside this vicious circle of degradation and humiliation. By choice they are sex workers with very few option. I meet them as individuals.
I had met Jaya, at an Aids (campaign) 2006 (my diploma year of Photography) then general secretary of ‘Badhan Hijra Association’. I was furious with some of her ‘Ramoni’ (beautiful) for simulating sex inside the parade and people out in the streets were amused and at the same time infuriated. When Jaya approached me – I put in plain words to her that we all do sex. But we do not give a street performance. And what propose it will serve for your cause?
Now in 2009 Jaya is involved in a wider range of their community program and agreed to meet me at her Sex worker network (National Sex worker Alliance) where she is now the chairman. Daunted with her leadership I asked her why she had become a sex worker? You could have worked as a labor or more being a High School drop out? She simply stated – that it was money, sex and her heart that decided for her. She also abhors hand labor.
Katha the treasurer of ‘Shacheton Shilpi’ (Vigilant Artists) explains to me how they are trying to find the various alternate to selling sex. We run a dancing school. We have a beauty parlor name ‘Dhong’. We also run handicraft workshop courtesy of NGO’s and various support groups. But it is not easy to get all of them out of the sex profession as well as toll collection. We can only offer hope and that is not enough. We have a tough time keeping them out of criminal acts.
Hijra’s have been around since time immemorial in South Asia, and elsewhere. In Bangladesh they can obtain a legal Affidavit where they are refer as Ramoni. This gives them the right to collect tolls from shops and bazaars. Lea prefers to collect them and work as a sex worker and was impatient with our novel ideas and me, and boldly asked me to leave as they were running late for the collection.
When I went to visit one of their various institutes we were informed that the building new stray cat gave birth to newborn babies. Discussion follows. I loiter away my time and clicked this normal activities of humans. I wonder if cats can differentiate between Hijra’s and others.
Their activities gave me the impression I was three years too late (to complete my Graduation) in offering my service to help their cause. They have probably made a niche in our society. Jaya and katha was unison in their claim that they want to be recognized as a man & woman ‘mishro’ (blend) of Human. I simply stated that you have to earn it and come out of sex trading and toll collecting. Again I conceded that sex trading should stay centralized or it will spread and with it the diseases. My contradictory remark confused them, as I was confused with the sheer magnitude of the issues.
I met Hasnat a cross dresser who is involved with hunger project and theaters. Sex trading is now a part time. He claims to be more of the man. His clients are mostly gays. He is the only son of his parents and lives with them. They understand he is an artist hence his make do. He longs to tell them but he is afraid of the consequence.
Babu on the other hard works within the organization and determined to evolve from here and lives with his four brothers. They are critical about his body language and sometimes call him a girl but hardly discuss it. He rarely does sex trading now because he has a job and only does it only when he craves sex and seldom dresses up. I commented that with his handsome face, surely girls approached him. He replied “Of course but then I call them sister or girlfriend” - and bursts out laughing. I asked if he enjoys his life. Oh yes - we are always dancing and frolicking and grins. Cheeky fellow. A gay world I mused on my way out.
Nurjahan, Sherpur (Jamalpur) caretaker of the office building at Lalmatia (Dhaka) for 20 years. When she opened the gate for me as I was leaving, I asked her if she feels any revulsion towards them. She seemed shaken by my question but replied firmly – No. They are nice to me. Calls me Khala (Maternal Aunty) and asks about my family. God makes all sorts of people.
