IMPHAL, October: ‘We have never tried to show women in degraded manner by designing costumes and influencing them to wear that are not fitted to be seen by the general public’, this was said by the secretary of the All Manipur Nupi Maanbi Association (AMANA), Imphal today in a press release.
The Association further calls the women organisations, women pressure groups, individual and groups to look at the transgender community in a universal acceptable manner and to call them in universal acceptable terms, in spite of tagging them with derogatory comments.
It further maintained that the comment of women organisations terming them as ‘neither women nor men’ seem more derogatory and discriminatory to the community and in adverse to the society.
It further added that the challenges faced by the transgender community (Nupi Shabi) are only acknowledged by the least groups of people in the state and community themselves.
It further maintained that the society and their outlook has impacted only in creating hurdles in earning the livelihood of transgender and never have understood the pains in battling for the survival.
The press released added that the transgender community in the state has been encountering extraordinary challenges in order to provide themselves a space for self-employment, for instance make-up artist, fashion designing, and acting in Sumang Lila (Courtyard theatre).
The community further said that as a human entity they also desire to perform mainstream professions, white collar job etc., but due to excessive discrimination and stigmatization by the general population they even avoided to visit the public hospital in the needful times of physical problems.
The association further maintained that the transgender community has been contributing to the society for upward movement.
Further the press release maintained that the transgender community are always ready to share and extend support to every success and challenges of the society and the state, and further requested the women pressure groups and every members of the society that they are part of the society.