With the flood of abuses hurled at her， she， in that unbearable condition and numb with her family’s deafening silence towards neighbors’ mockery， decided to leave her home and lived on her own. This is a case of an exasperated Sudha， a transgender （TG） from Chennai， the capital of Tamil Nadu， South India.

It would be interesting if one could change the gender at gender dysphoria to choose the body in which one is most comfortable with. Why is “gender change” ostracized？ Is gender sacred in the materialistic world？ Who makes the rule？

People keep changing their personal attributes all the time. This has today become the order of the day. Artificial changes are effected from skin to hair. They dye their hair， diet to extremes， undergo cosmetic surgery， perform skin graft and develop their muscles. These they do so that they would have a striking resemblance of their favorite models. On top of this， people change their spouse， religion， nationality， job and residence. However， gender is not changed.

當(dāng)辱罵像洪水般拍向她，她的家人對(duì)鄰居的嘲笑保持了沉默，使她無(wú)法忍受而又麻木，于是她決定離開(kāi)家自己生活。這個(gè)案例來(lái)自于憤怒的蘇妲，她是來(lái)自南印度泰米爾納德邦首府欽奈市的一位變性人。

如果人們能夠在性別不悅時(shí)改變性別，選擇自己覺(jué)得最舒服的身體，那將十分有趣。為什么“性別改變”會(huì)如此受排斥？性別在一個(gè)物質(zhì)化的世界中是神圣的嗎？誰(shuí)決定了規(guī)則？

人們總是改變他們的個(gè)人屬性。這在當(dāng)今已經(jīng)成為日常秩序。人為的改變可能從皮膚直到頭發(fā)。他們將頭發(fā)染色，極度節(jié)食，做整形手術(shù)，接受植皮，塑造肌肉。他們這樣做可以使自己將最喜歡的典范們的優(yōu)點(diǎn)完美結(jié)合。在此之上，人們還會(huì)更換他們的配偶、宗教、國(guó)籍、工作和居住地。然而，他們的性別并沒(méi)有改變。

Nature makes the mistake. In this civilized as well as globalized world， it is irrational to stigmatize TG for no fault of their own. In fact， gender is a social construction. We fail to recognize the point that just because some forms of behaviour are uncommon we cannot treat the persons possessing such characters as abnormal and unhealthy to our societal existence. The conventional definitions of gender we have been inculcated with since our birth make it easier for us to come to inferences based on our stereotypical views which inflict great agony on the ones at the receiving end. Also， society becomes insensitive towards them and does not let them lead a dignified life as other humans.

They wrestle with gender dysphoria discomfort at a very tender age. They either have a range of effeminate or masculine characters which are completely contrary to what they are assigned to at birth. When their urge tops the height， they face gender identity disorders. Then， they start engrossing a new identity， experiencing bouts of discrimination due to bias about their new identity， including stigma， shame， isolation， anxiety， bullying and even physical and sexual assaults. Due to circumstances， they are fully engaged in low paying jobs like dancing， singing and prostitution and begging.

Sudha continued her melancholy story with a brave smile on her lips and an empowered look in her eyes. “As I realized my gender disconformity at that young age， I was abused by my peers at school. This eventually forced me to drop out from my studies and my society as well. Then， I resorted to prostitution. This is not my conscious choice but the only chance for my survival as I had no education. I became a secret sex provider at night，” as she put it.

大自然是會(huì)犯錯(cuò)誤的。在如今文明而又全球化的世界中，將變性視為是他們自身錯(cuò)誤而帶來(lái)的恥辱是不理智的。事實(shí)上，性別是一個(gè)社會(huì)構(gòu)造。我們不能將擁有不尋常行為方式的人當(dāng)成社會(huì)存在的不正常或不健康，然而，我們并不能認(rèn)清這一點(diǎn)。自我們出生以來(lái)一直被灌輸?shù)膶?duì)性別的定義使我們更容易基于我們帶有成見(jiàn)的觀(guān)點(diǎn)形成推論，這會(huì)使接收這些觀(guān)點(diǎn)的人們承受極大的痛苦。而且，社會(huì)對(duì)這些人并不敏感，使他們不能像其他人類(lèi)一樣過(guò)有尊嚴(yán)的生活。

他們從幼年起就與性別焦慮癥帶來(lái)的不適作斗爭(zhēng)。他們擁有與他們生來(lái)的性別完全相反的女性化的或男性化的性格。當(dāng)他們的主張到達(dá)頂點(diǎn)，他們就面臨著性別身份的混亂。然后，他們開(kāi)始執(zhí)著于一個(gè)新的身份，經(jīng)受著偏見(jiàn)帶來(lái)的各種歧視，包括侮辱、羞愧、孤立、焦慮、欺負(fù)，甚至是身體侵犯和性侵犯。出于環(huán)境的因素，他們完全被困于低收入職業(yè)，如跳舞、唱歌、賣(mài)淫和乞討。

蘇妲繼續(xù)著她憂(yōu)郁的生活，但她一直勇敢的面帶微笑，眼神中充滿(mǎn)力量。蘇妲說(shuō)：“當(dāng)我在非常小的時(shí)候意識(shí)到我的性別不適，我在學(xué)校被同齡人欺辱。這最終迫使我輟學(xué)，也迫使我遠(yuǎn)離社會(huì)。然后，我開(kāi)始賣(mài)淫。這并不是我的有意之選，但卻是我生存的唯一機(jī)會(huì)，因?yàn)槲覜](méi)有什么學(xué)歷。我成為了在夜里秘密提供性服務(wù)的人?！?/p>

The third gender， once a revered community， lives in the fringes of society at present. Priya， a Program Associater of Tamil Nadu Aids Initiative（TAI） said， “In ancient India， the Mughal Empire respected and provided them with an important role in court administration as royal guards； even the Vedas -- the ancient sacred Hindu texts， believe that they bring prosperity and provide healthy fertility powers.” History books and religious epics exhibit the characters who blurred the conservative gender frames. Despite this， the practice at present is different， showing a sad and completely unsympathetic picture towards the TG community.”

Sudha said， “I underwent gender reassignment surgery. I am now leading a respectable life， free of sarcastic comments and having a pleasing physical appearance of a woman. However， this is uncommon among most TG due to poverty. Thereby， they effect changes only in their grooming and name.”

Love is another solace for them， in addition to getting temporary relief and happiness from alcohol and drugs. The transgender women of South India have an extended family system that unites and binds them with ample love and affection they lost from their own beloved families.

第三性別，曾經(jīng)是令人敬畏的群體，現(xiàn)在生活在社會(huì)的邊緣。泰米爾納德邦艾滋病行動(dòng)組織成員普瑞雅說(shuō)：“在古印度，莫臥兒帝國(guó)尊敬他們，并為他們提供了法庭管理中的關(guān)鍵職位——皇家衛(wèi)士；古老神圣的印度文獻(xiàn)《吠陀經(jīng)》甚至也認(rèn)為他們能夠帶來(lái)繁榮和健康的生育能力?！睔v史書(shū)籍和宗教史詩(shī)呈現(xiàn)了那些保守的性別框架難以區(qū)分的人物。盡管如此，當(dāng)前的實(shí)踐仍與之背道而馳，展現(xiàn)了一幅對(duì)變性人群體完全沒(méi)有同情心的悲哀畫(huà)面。

蘇妲說(shuō)：“我做了變性手術(shù)。我現(xiàn)在過(guò)著受人尊敬的生活，不再有嘲諷的言論。我也有了女人的動(dòng)人外表。然而，這在變性人群體中實(shí)屬罕見(jiàn)，因?yàn)樗麄兇蠖钾毟F。因此，他們只能改變他們的裝扮和名字?！?/p>

除了通過(guò)酒精和毒品尋找短暫的放松和愉悅，愛(ài)情是他們的另一慰藉。那位來(lái)自南印度的變性女人建立了一個(gè)大家庭，用大愛(ài)將他們緊密聯(lián)系在一起，彌補(bǔ)他們?cè)诟髯缘募彝ブ兴笔У那楦小?/p>

“The family is fully matriarchal and there is no role for men； I have mothers， grandmothers， aunts， daughters， mother in laws and daughter in laws； this is a unique family system which has no chronological age system. TG who join this family become part of this hierarchical system； our bonding is based on a string of truth， love and loyalty，” Sudha said with a contented expression.

She feel that today， there is a constant reformation taking place in the traditional Indian mindsets in terms of how this group is being ill-treated. Thereby， the discrimination and harassment against the TG community has decreased due to media coverage and now they are slowly being assimilated into the mainstream society.

Sudha said with an elated smile， “Fortunately， I got the job as a Community Consultant at TAI just because of the experience I gained during my role as a sex worker. I have my own， painful experience of encountering aggression by goondas and the police， rough handling by customers， mockery by teasers and even robbery. I work together in our mission for a better life， a better tomorrow for TG.”

蘇妲驕傲地說(shuō)：“這個(gè)家庭完全是母系氏族的，沒(méi)有男性的角色。我有母親、祖母、姨母、女兒、岳母和繼女。這是一個(gè)獨(dú)一無(wú)二的家庭體系，它沒(méi)有按時(shí)間順序排列的年齡系統(tǒng)。加入這個(gè)家庭的變性人會(huì)成為這個(gè)分層系統(tǒng)的一部分。我們的紐帶是通過(guò)真相、愛(ài)和忠誠(chéng)建立的?！?/p>

她感覺(jué)到，傳統(tǒng)的印度觀(guān)念正在經(jīng)歷持續(xù)的重塑，對(duì)于變性人群體如何受到糟糕的對(duì)待也會(huì)有更好的認(rèn)識(shí)。針對(duì)變性人群體的歧視和攻擊也由于媒體報(bào)道的增加而減少，他們現(xiàn)如今也正在逐漸被主流社會(huì)吸納。

蘇妲得意地笑言：“幸運(yùn)的是，正因?yàn)槲以趶氖滦怨ぷ髌陂g所積累的經(jīng)驗(yàn)，我可以作為社區(qū)顧問(wèn)在泰米爾納德邦艾滋病行動(dòng)組織工作。我有我自己的痛苦經(jīng)歷，比如被流氓和警察攻擊、被顧客粗暴地對(duì)待、以及被愛(ài)戲弄的人甚至強(qiáng)盜嘲笑。我在我們的團(tuán)隊(duì)工作是為了更好的生活，也是為了變性人更好的明天?！?/p>

However， there are yet many battles to be won by the empowered persons of TG community in all walks of life.

“A TG got a job in a reputed IT company and was provided with a whole package comprising a handsome salary， transport and a personal lap top， but on the condition of working from home. Such discrimination must be recognized as invisible bigotry，” she said vehemently.

“They encounter abuses and discomforts when they use “Men only” and “Women only” places such as toilets， changing rooms and when standing in a gender divided queue，” she opined.

In the words of Marilyn Monroe， “Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.”

然而，在各行各業(yè)，仍有許多場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)役等待賦權(quán)之后的變性人去贏(yíng)得。

她激動(dòng)地說(shuō)：“一個(gè)變性人得到了一所知名IT公司的工作，公司為他提供全套福利，包括高薪、交通工具和筆記本電腦，但唯一的條件是在家辦公。這樣的歧視是一種隱性的盲從，必須得到正視。”

她認(rèn)為：“當(dāng)他們使用如廁所、更衣室等‘女士止步’或‘男士止步’的地方時(shí)，或當(dāng)他們站在以性別區(qū)分的隊(duì)伍中時(shí)，他們會(huì)遭遇侮辱和不適。”

正如瑪麗蓮·夢(mèng)露說(shuō)的那樣：“想要成為其他人是在浪費(fèi)你自己本身。”