Page 41 - English Tehelka Issue 6 - March 31, 2018

e is hailed as the ‘Pad- guess Tridhara would have got the the third edition of the magazine
man’ of Kolkata. With similar hype and acceptance if any that put him in touch with a few
just 3000 in hand Bollywood superstar would take the transgenders and he was exposed
every month, 20-year- issue up,” he said. to this very problem faced by them.
H old Sobhan Mukherjee In eight months (from July, 2017 “I was told ‘Just like the queues at
from Kolkata’s Bansdroni has set to February, 2018), 12 public toilets the banks, We are also not allowed
out to make his second brainchild in and around the south suburban to use the public toilets.’ This had
Bandhan, a project through which area got separate toilets for the third struck my mind and I very well
he delivers sanitary napkins at a gender. For distribution of sanitary knew in my mind that I have to do
minimal rate in public toilets, as big napkins the number was 15 public something about this.”
as possible. Sobhan’s first project toilets in just four months (from Public toilets for the third gen-
Tridhara introduced separate sec- November, 2017 to February, 2018) der has always been an issue. While
tions for the third gender in public — exactly half the time. prepping up for project Tridhara,
toilets for the very first time in Kol- Sobhan, most of whose social Sobhan got in touch with Ran -
kata. However, Sobhan is experienc- work is financed by his family and jita Sinha of the Association of photos: satwik paul
ing an everyday hypocrisy where himself, soon became the odd one Transgender/Hijra in Bengal who • Trending taboos After a popular Bollywood movie, it has become fashionable to talk about mensuration
Bandhan is welcomed but the door out who wanted to accept the ex- told her that the government was
is mostly still shut for Tridhara. istence of the trans community. It requested to construct toilets for the every municipal ward and it would (who dance for money when there southern part of Kolkata makes it a
be much beneficial for the commu- comes a newborn baby in a family half-baked project. Reacting to this,
nity. “Moreover, the Tridhara pro- and during weddings) said, “Due to Sobhan said, “The work is on. I am
Kolkata’s Padman comes to public toilets would make their hours, from early morning till late toilets in central and north Kolkata.”
my nature of work I stay out for long soon going to start upon the public
ject recognising the third gender at
identity more prominent and I
Though Bandhan is more recog-
evening. Even a few months back,
guess that is what we activists want. the thought of using a toilet during
nised than Tridhara, Sobhan em-
the rescue of transgenders It has been beneficial for a good an emergency would make us think phasised on the fact that they both
number of people from our com-
which public toilet can be used. We
came hand in hand. After the lat-
munity,” she said.
ter project was put in place people
often had to pay the guard 10 extra
An argument put forth by NGO
or female pays just 2. And there are riences and thoughts on a number
worker and Hijra/Trans activist for using the toilet wherein a male opened up and shared their expe-
A young college graduate has big dreams of making toilets friendly for women as well as Sohini Boral points at the much- toilets whose guards would straight of things. “I was stuck with this one
issue of the availability of sanitary
away reject you.” Lata added that
needed awareness about the third
transgenders. From selling sanitary napkins at minimal cost to ensuring separate cubicles gender among the staff appointed post-Tridhara their lives are made napkins at the public toilets as my
for the third gender in south Kolkata, many hurdles had to be overcome, amita ghosh reports at the toilets. “Tridhara can be ben- easy at least while travelling to this female friends shared their stories
eficial to all the trans community particular part of the city. of getting into messed up situation
members only after the staff at The fact that the Tridhara pro- as they got sudden periods when
those toilets are made aware of the ject is being restricted to only the out. I again approached the coun-
“I am glad that Bandhan is getting has an irony in it that the very same third gender but applications were third gender. It is not necessary that cillor of Bansdroni. This time too
much attention but shocked at the people quite loved the cinematic eaten up by the silverfish and noth- each of us dresses up in a way that she supported me. As a result, four
same time that the same people are concept of ‘breaking taboos about ing happened. it says on behalf of us, ‘hello I am a toilets of Bansdroni, Geetanjali,
not ready to accept the existence menstruation’. “I always knew one thing that I transgender’. Trans doesn’t only The hypocrisy of Kudghaat and Garia got Bandhan,”
of the third gender in society,” said Here, Sobhan put forth a logical don’t have money but I definitely mean the Hijra community. There Sobhan said.
Mukherjee. argument. “Can you tell me how had the right intentions. I brain- are people who are undergoing society is evident Initially, the pads available were
This Geography graduate shot to people could take up social issues stormed with my parents and came the transformation. Now getting free of cost, later to stop the misuse,
limelight for Tridhara that remained as per their convenience? I don’t up with the idea of making space stopped at a public toilet by staff as people are Sobhan decided to give the respon-
much of a challenging task for him. understand. For them using pads, for members of the trans commu- and being asked, ‘aap toh hijra nahin following the sibility to the guard of each toilet to
Rather, it still is while Bandhan is be- saying ‘pads’ aloud or putting up a nity in the same toilets. The coun- ho, purush mein jao’ (you don’t seem sell one pad for 2. “And even that
ing widely accepted by people. He picture with a pad on social media is cillor of Bansdroni, 112 ward, Anita like a hijra go to the mens section) ‘trend’ of talking move had an insight. See, a guard
claims to not have understood the a valid operation that eradicates so- Roy Chowdhury gave her nod and would be the last thing anyone of about menstruation or a watchman would often ask me
mindset behind such discriminat- cial taboo and when the third gen- I brought the expense of 6 lakh us would want to face. And this has about the pad, the uses, and other
ing responses. According to him, der seeks minimum recognition, down to just 2 lakh. I went out and happened, time and again,” said but do not want to details. I made it a point to teach
the project related to sanitary nap- they back out. Who doesn’t want to started sticking third gender indica- 28-year-old Boral. acknowledge the each of them about periods and
kins saw a smooth road ahead be- please the female voters?” the young tory marks at the Bansdroni toilets,” Tridhara’s contribution doesn’t how even he should maintain the
cause of the cinematic influence on man said. he said. get marred though. 29-year-old existence of the hygiene,” he added.
people’s mind by Akshay Kumar’s Sobhan helms a Bengali maga- According to Sinha, there are at Lata, a member of the hijra commu- third gender
latest social issue film Padman. “I zine named ‘Kabi Kalam’. It was last three trans/hijra individuals in nity who works in a ‘badhai’ group letters@tehelka.com

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