The question that immediately pings after glancing over the title is, Who is Sarah?
Well, Sarah is not an astronaut, not a cine star, not a singer, not a sports personality, then who is Sarah?
Sarah is a 22-year-old, aspiring transgender from Coimbatore who wants to open-up her mind and pleas to the fellow citizens of this city.
Let's start with the story of Sarah who for a momentary time lived as Prakash. Prakash, was a young kid born in a tiny hamlet in Kothagiri. Prakash was an enterprising and buzzing kid, who never knew a 'Sarah' existing in him. Right from the age of seven, he always preferred to associate himself with girls than boys. Not knowing why? but he was attracted more towards girls and their little play things.
'I was eight then, my parents hit me for acting up like a girl. I was hurt more mentally than physically' starts Sarah narrating her grueling and bewildering childhood memories.
'It was absurd to expect my teachers and friends to understand my feelings, when my own parents can't! My school days were full of embarrassments and wrath. While it was 'fun' for others to mock my voice, my habits, my walking style but it humiliated me to the core. As days rolled on, it was extremely difficult for me to be a part of that classroom. I was no more a student, I was a 'thing' for them. Left with no choice, we moved from Kothagiri to Coimbatore for good.
It was 2004, my parents re-joined me in Government Boys School, Ondipudur. As soon as I joined my school, the mocking sessions started here too. Somehow, I managed to get through will tenth. To continue my studies further was the most scary and irksomething i could ever imagine.
Boredom and skeptical thoughts thronged me, I feared on my future. Just to stay diverted and support my family, I joined for a temporary work in a private concern in Coimbatore. Initially, all was well, as days passed the 'mocking' issue sprouted up, there too. And, I couldn't control the feminine thing in me while I mingled with the staff there. Like schooling, I quit my job too!
By then, quitting from things that fantasied me had become a regular phenomenon kind of thing. It's when I decided to move on with people of my own gender 'the transgenders'. I went in search of them and found a few who were just doing the job of 'begging'. Never mind, I was happy to eventually talk and share things with someone who wouldn't mock or laugh behind me. We shared stories with each story, I was astonished and calmed to hear their journey which was actually more harrowing than mine.
I draped me in a saree and joined their begging spree. For six months, I wandered around the city begging people for money. After getting associated with them, I dis-associated myself from my family for a brief time. It was during this phase, I was thrown light on the 'surgery' part. Yes, I was totally convinced that it was 'the' thing which would transform me into the real 'girl', I always craved to be.
I proposed my wish to undergo surgery to my parents, they were shell-shocked. Finally my transgender friends who had undergone the surgery urged on the need to do so and assured to my parents, that it was 'safe'. At last, I got a green signal from my family, I was super excited to get it done. It's not a few thousands, a ransom 2 lakhs was needed to perform the surgery.
I continued to beg to collect the required amount for my surgery. Finally, the d-day came, I underwent the surgery at Bangalore and buried the Prakash in me fully. Finally, I saw the real 'Sarah' in me!
Not at all, it isn't a cake walk at all, post surgery, I was struck with pain for days together. Yet the surgery made me feel content and complete, so never did I whine. After few days of rest, I began to beg again. And, this time it was for my living. Days flew, one day I had to accompany one of my friend to Government Hospital to apply for a job. It was then I started to question me, why dint I think of re-joining a job and how did I turn so sheepish! Like a worm in the head, my actions were whipping in my mind.
It was a day of fortune, I should say. As I met Anjali Jain, my mentor, who instilled in me the thought of leading a dignified life, whatsoever.
Anjali akka is a social activist, who has transformed the lives of hundreds of transgenders by embedding self-respect and dignity in them. I wouldn't call her words as a piece of 'advice', she actually 'empowered' me through her words, she showed me my own strengths and boosted me with confidence to believe in me and stand tall with dignity. She shared with me the stories and lives of transgenders who have quit begging and flesh trade and presently making a decent living of their own.
She hinted me join some class of my choice and dust again all my dreams and passions. She helped me to enroll in a tally class at Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidhyalaya. Also, through which I got an opportunity to get a two-wheeler and four-wheeler license. Here ends my story.
'But I have something to embed in the minds of the people of this city. This is my story and I am 'Sarah' a transgender. Absolutely, no shame in calling me so, because I live my life with dignity. My creator and your creator are one and the same. I did not create and tag me as a transgender, I am supposed to be so.
Begging was not destined upon us. To live, to eat, to seek, to shelter, all of us need money. Men and women go to work for their living and support their needs and their children's. Sadly, in most of the transgenders life, they are stranded, abandoned by their own family. Chucked from their homes, grievously it's either they beg or die? In such a doleful situation, choosing to beg to live, isn't that bad, to me.
Transgenders are denied of everything. Childhood, parenting, education, employment, respect and what else, all that is predominant for a human is unconditionally denied to our community people. All of us have enshrouded loads and loads of agony in our hearts. Inflicting additional pain by mocking us, provoking us and by calling us with double-meaning words, is no humane!
These days, people google on a lot of things to get have a better and real-someunderstanding on things. Hence, I request people to google on 'Transgenders'. At least, then understand what science and biology has to say on our birth history and stop all ill-talks and myths you throw at us. None of us have any hate on the society, but isn't it normal for any life form to retaliate if they are provoked.
An employment opportunity can change the fate of the entire transgender community for good. Accept us as one of yours, give us an opportunity to get educated, help us by providing a fitting job and help us to move forward. If all this is accomplished, that's it! a great transformation in the life of transgenders would begin', says Sarah.
Nothing is too late, Sarah pleads people to start treating transgenders with compassion and give them an opportunity to uplift their lives by not shedding a penny but help them by offering jobs and opportunities. Sarah is postive that soon someone would ring her and give her an opportunity to work at their concern and help her follow her dreams. 'Yes. I love to work in an office, am sure people would accept us. Am full of confidence that New Year 2017 will be a year to begin my career and all of my community people will see betterment soon' ends Sarah.