Letting a voiceless group speak
The society frowns upon the way they want to live their lives. But it is a truth they cannot hide. Nor can they put up with the continuous shaming they have to undergo day in and day out.
To let them speak their mind and raise public awareness about their rights, a group of university students yesterday organised an opinion sharing meeting in Bogra. The programme was held on Bogra Zilla School premises where at least 26 transgender students spoke of their everyday sufferings.
A transgender person's sense of identity and gender do not correspond with their birth sex.
“We can't lead a normal life,” said Ridoy, 20, a university student. “I am biologically a male, but my mind works like a female. I want to live like a girl, but society would not accept it.”
Ridoy was wearing a mask, as were all the other participants, to hide their identities.
“People of my neighbourhood ask me why I behave like a girl when I look like a boy. And then, they complain to my family about my feminine behaviour. Eventually, my family forces me to act more like a man,” Ridoy said.
Throughout the programme, the local transgender youths mostly spoke of the social stereotypes, sufferings, and views about their lives. They urged the society, their families, and the government to hear what they need and accept the way they are.
Another student, Rayhan (not real name), 25, said, “Our society is extremely intolerant towards us, but we want to live like everyone else. We want an environment where no one treats us differently.”
The state should create a space where all will be treated as equal human beings, said another student, Hasan Ali (not real name).
The 22-year-old said, “We urge the government to encourage an environment where people will value our feelings.”
The programme was organised with the slogan, “One to know, many to grow”, with the aim to create awareness about gender issues which can help build a tolerant society, said Ferdous, one of the organisers.
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