||. My Gender Is Human .||

Sometimes, we lose the ability to be equitable as a society. We don't look at every individual with the same eye. Pre-existing taboos curb us from accepting transgender people as one among us. This inevitably paves way to discrimination. But is it really necessary to be like everyone else to be worthy of the fundamental rights we all are entitled to by birth? All of us have been told time and again, to be ourselves. That we are perfect just the way we are and that we don't need to fear anyone else or what they may think of us.

But what's the point of saying this if one is discriminated against based on the fact they were born divergent?

It's a matter of substantial disappointment that not even half of the transgender population are given entitlement to basic rights. And yet, it's been a prerogative of the other two genders to have access to such normal rights. What does this even matter? At the end of the day, we're all still human beings.

Centuries down the line, transgenders have faced inequality in several forms. Be it in education, employment, housing, citizenship or even basic medical facilities. 19% of transgenders have been refused housing. They've been mistreated, thrashed and been the butt of our gags. Society disregard them. Every 1 in 12 trans women are likely to be murdered and consequently 53% of the anti LGBT homicides have been of transgender women. Many of them have been left with no option but to beg for a living because they are refused employment opportunities. And of those who are employed, are mostly threatened to keep their identity under wraps to retain their job. Their own families turn them down, because they feelthe child brings indignity to their family.

Until recently, transgenders were deprived of a separate identity. They weren't even acknowledged as a gender. An innumerable number of the global transgender population haveattempted suicide for the very reason of being oppressed and unaccepted.Most of them suffer from depression. They have, till date, been the invisible part of our society.

Transgenders are simply different, not defective.But we have scrutinized their level of competence, intelligence and capabilities. Why? For the one sole reason that they lack the ability to create life. Being unable to reproduce was never a crime but we inadvertently but surely have treated it as one.

But, as the years have passed, several regimes have put forth laws for the legal protection of transgenders. The obstinate norms on transgenders have slowly started to fade away. Countries have endorsed various methods to get rid of such taboos, to bring equality to every being. Several NGOs have also been formed to eliminate inequality to the transgender society. The Human Rights Campaign works towards bringing emancipation to the LGBT community.

But there's still a long way to go before we achieve undivided equity. After all, an entitlement is a right, not an allowance.

Here, we bring you some real life stories from the people who have wholeheartedly accepted the change and are living a well fulfilled life.

Miss Karen Byrne was brought up by her strict emigrant Irish mother who had all hopes for her to join the priesthood. It was after marriage when she started to dress up as a woman (as a joke between him and his wife) initially which brought out the feeling of comfort accompanied by a sense of confusion and bewilderment.

'This was a dichotomy in every sense; I was so confused and bewildered. I was angry with myself for having these feelings of femininity and dreaded the thought of my friends' finding out.'

Depression followed but it was sheer will power that brought her back down the path to her sanity. This started and ended with her wholeheartedly accepting herself as she is and life became a little easier afterwards.

Another real life scenario shared by one Mrs Shanon whose son from a very young age voiced out loud that he should have been born as a girl. The mother was rightly worried but she comforted her child. She spoke to people, wanted to know more about this and then she found out about an organization called the Mermaids, a charity that helps gender identity issues and their families. Her child Nick then became Nicki who started attending school as a girl. Nicki had to suffer through indignities, in the form of insults very early in her life because her peers weren't ready to accept the change. Through Shannon's efforts the child recognized herself and forged a path from where she could move forward.

Parents play a huge role and can be one of the biggest support systems possible.

Billy Tipton, an American Jazz Musician, changed his gender but this transition remained a secret until his death in 1989. Reports were found stating that Tipton was born as a female under the name Dorothy Lucille Tipton and went under a sex change. Tipton is known to be one of the most famous Jazz musician but his sex change was what inspired thousands of people across the globe to accept the ways of their body.

Recently Caitlyn Jenner (formerly known as Bruce Jenner) the famous retired American Athlete who has come forward to the world regarding her sex change, has been lauded by all alike for her courage and most importantly giving a voice to the transgender community to embrace themselves and accept the change.

"I've been thinking about this day forever... I would say I've always been very confused with my gender identity." Jenner explained.

It was highly spoken about by all alike and her documentary 'I am Cait' was well received and was recognized widely for the struggle that a transgender person goes through in general.

"Why did I decide to do a series? I am telling my story... This is about getting to be who you really are," Jenner later explained as the reason for opening up about her life on television.

Acceptance is the key.

Know yourself, accept yourself the way you are.

This is the first step in recognizing and moving forward.

Talk it out with your loved ones, embrace the change and live your life like never before.

Originally posted by: xbeyondwordsx

I miss you in RAD, Arpita 💔