Transgender Bidhan doesn't deserve to die

Bidhan - a male to female transgender in Mumbai, has threatened to kill himself tonight. And I am writing this blog to say that Bidhan doesn't deserve to die.

So, why does Bidhan want to kill himself?
The reason is painfully simple: the society, including Bidhan's family isn't allowing Bidhan to live.

Bidhan who is 21 year old, wants to get a sex assignment surgery (SRS), but the law requires the consent of his family which they have refused to give. In fact, his parents  have reportedly threatened the doctors with dire consequences if they performed the surgery. As a result the surgery, scheduled for last 17th April in a Mumbai hospital, was cancelled.


Bidhan then approached the court against the move and appealed to the court to order his parents to give their consent. But the court (High court of Mumbai) has  postponed the hearing till next week. Frustrated and angry, Bidhan  feels that the court simply doesn't care and he wants to kill himself. In a letter written to the state Human Rights Commission, Bidhan has said that  if he dies, the judges of the High court who are hearing this case, will be responsible for his death.

Obviously, Bidhan is angry. And Frustrated. And he has all the rights to be so. In fact, its not only Bidhan, but every transgender person in this country has a right to be angry with the way they are treated: like they are abnormal, lesser humans.

There are hundreds of stories around. But I will only cite the example of Bangalore's Christy Raj, a great cool guy (thats what Christy would call himself though he is still trapped in a female body as he can't afford to pay for an SRS) who is so much fun to be with and is kind to all.  He is also intelligent enough to be a community journalist. His family beat him half dead and left at the road to die when they came to know of Christy's transgender identity.

Christy, however, didn't kill himself, thanks to several people - including another transgender - a Hijra - who adopted him. Today he has a job and a life full of friends. But yes, I know there are times when Christy looks at other men around him and  feels frustrated that he can't be fully himself. Once Chrsity met Abhay Deol - a Bollywood actor 'I feel jealous of you. I wish I could be a complete man like you!' We were traveling in the same car to a press meet and though Christy with a smiling face, it moved me to tears. There are no aid available to Chrsity that can help him undergo a surgery. He doesn't have a health insurance either because there are none available for a transgender.

Yes, people like Christy, or Bidhan have every right to be angry. But despite that,  Bidhan need not die. He isn't a bad person, has no committed crime or broken any law pf the land.  He deserves to live as much as I do, or you do. He also has the right to live as whoever he wants to be - a man or a woman.

The court has only postponed its hearing, not given a verdict against Bidhan. So, there is hope yet.

Besides, if he dies, the story ends. But by living, he can not only have a chance for himself, but can create a chance for someone else, especially the gentleman ( according to Bidhan, his boyfriend is an officer in the air force) he wants to marry.