Transcending human barriers to spread the word of God

In the past, members belonging to the transgender community may have always fought a losing battle.  Not anymore!  As a community, they continue to fight for recognition and equal rights.  But, with people not accepting them wholly and choosing to maintain a distance from them for various reasons, it is difficult for even enterprising members of the community to make a mark in society. 

Still, there a few who strive and get to a place where they are recognized.  They stand out as exemplars of extraordinary work.  Sis Anjali, a transgender, belongs to this ilk.  After several reverses in life, she got involved in spreading the word of God and rose as a gospel speaker in the Telugu states.  Apart from this, she has worked in many ways to prove that nothing can be a constraint for the person who is determined, especially so if God is on their side.  

A recipient of ‘The Laadli Media and Advertising Awards’ for gender sensitivity, she recalls the milestones on her life’s journey: “I was born in a middle-class house and I lost my father at the age of three.  At that time my mother happened to accept Christ as her savior and soon our whole family converted.  As years passed, the way I started behaving and the way I looked changed completely. People started to make fun of the way I behaved.   My family members never understood the pain I was going through as they were ashamed of me.  

As time passed by, I tried to adjust to the situations and gradually my mother also passed comments that expressed her regret as to why she gave birth to such a kid.” “At the age of 15, I had to face a lot of changes in my life and people started talking bad about me and said that I had a disease. 

I happened to meet a friend of mine who is a transgender and after my Plus Two I ran away from my house and settled in Bombay for a while.  I happened to totally change like the other transgender who would beg in trains.  I never used to like it and I told my friend I have completed my Plus Two and I do not want to beg.  My friend would tell me that I am being foolish in talking about getting a job as society would never accept us.” 

About applying for jobs elsewhere, she shares, “I happened to come back to Hyderabad and tried to apply for jobs at a call center and there also people rejected me because of my gender. At that time, there were a few transgender activists who strived for our rights. I happen to join these activists and in the year 2014, I happen to work with an NGO. I was very happy doing this work.”

Sis Anjali, who has been through a lot of troubles in her life, wanted to give something for the transgender society as she was working with an NGO. “I got a thought in my mind that society has to know what exactly a transgender is and so I happen to start a YouTube channel in the year 2014-2015.  In this channel, things like who is a transgender, what are the rights of these transgender, profiles of celebrity transgender, etc., are showcased.”

About the award she has won, she mentions: “This is for the first time in India that a transgender received a ‘National and a South Asian award’. It was a gender sensitivity award that I have received.” Sis Anjali, who has been discriminated in society, is today called at church gatherings to preach the word of God with honor. Although there are many churches that do not allow transgenders to enter their premises, she is being invited as a guest speaker in many of the churches. 

Regarding the transgender bill, she says, “It is not hidden that a transgender has only two things for living: one is to beg; and, the other is sex work. This bill is not giving opportunity to do this and trying to cremate this as well. We all want to be recognized and we all are well-educated; so, I think we need to get equal rights and jobs.”