Aravani, Aruvani , Jagappa, khwaaja sira, khusras, zenanas, narnbans, eunuchs, hermaphrodites, hijras; divided by names, but united by an identity – Indian. The terms above are used to describe the ‘third gender’ in India, the transgenders, and though very much a part of this democracy they were made to face obstacles in terms of recognition in the Indian society, due to the stigma attached to their identities.
However a lot changed for the community when on February 14th, 2014, the Supreme Court of India announced its judgement to accept the transgenders as the third gender in India and ordered the government to make reforms to include them in through official documentation. A community of 4 to 5 million people, the transgender community was listed as a socially and economically backward class.
Mistreated, misunderstood and shunned, the history had treated this community more kindly than we do today. With social stigma continuing to plague their very existence, in this moving clip, the Hijra community redefines the role they’ve played so far and pays tribute to the Indian motherland, declaring proudly, “Bhartiya Hum Bhi Hain!”
