Questions from a trans-community home

November, 3, 2022

Thozhi-trust residents don’t need to answer; they seek answers on trans- rights and health.

 Catherine was in charge of cooking that day.  With a spatula almost of her height she kept sautéing the finely cut vegetables in a big barrel on the stove. The steam-filled room made it difficult to see. But Catherine didn't stop talking about how she doesn't want to talk to me. "Did you visit Sahodaran? Why are you here? go to Sahodaran" She said. 

Sahodaran is Chennai’s queer community organisation and Catherine is right, its busy lunch hour and I went right inside the kitchen of the Thozhi trust--which is the only shelter for homeless transgender people under (GCC)The Greater Chennai Corporation. " Have you ever visited Sahodaran, do you have any idea about our community !?” She repeated. 

 

Out of the 20 residents in the shelter, only about 10 were present that day. Catherine looked at my phone and laughed at my ID attached to the phone case." How did you manage to get a smiling face in an ID”, she asked while also checking the simmering barrel of rice on the adjacent stove.   

Sara joined to help with the hot barrels, she said to Catherine, " This girl knows about Sahodaran, she is here to know about our shelter ". I nodded at Sara and started talking about an event I went to that took place recently at Thinnai Talkies—an initiative by SPI Edge company that screens documentaries and discusses them. Catherine grinned and said “Yeah we were there, it was a documentary about trans-health, then you might have met members of Sahodaran” Catherine said and nodded. 

Sara kept talking about the event and Mitr Clinic on which the documentary was based upon. “It is India’s first community led clinic, do you know that? it matters a lot”. Sara talked about how gender-affirming surgeries are nightmares and dreams all in one because many in the trans community are betrayed by the health system.

 Sara kept talking about the stories of medical discrimination and lives lost to it. Catherine reminded me to not take any pictures of them in the shelter.  “You will see the most handsome and most beautiful people in our community, I am not talking about the beauty of the mind, I meant bodies, some of us who underwent surgeries with good aftercare are thriving”, Catherine narrated stories laughing and crying. “One fine morning one of my friends decided to get transitional surgery that they were contemplating on for long, Due to their dire need they approached a quack, the man gave them some local anaesthesia, my friend died in the afternoon, this is just one story, we lost many” she added. 

General manager of Sahodaran,Ms Jaya A Gunaseelan who is a part of the community and trans-right activist , trans-health expert Rachana Mudraboyina were some of the many names that popped up in the conversation. Catherine, Sara, Saritha   and the other residents-- who didn’t want to share their details were all enthused to talk about the inclusive healthcare initiatives for trans community.

The rice barrel was closed to settle for some time, every time Catherine opens the barrel to check rice, the room got heated up, with the rain outside; the heat was alright if it was a spacious room. With the little space and more people, the residents find it hard to keep it clean. Catherine made sure to check if I have removed my footwear. she frowned and asked “you not wearing chappal no? it’s our kitchen.”

Right outside the kitchen- that barely has space for  three people , is a small opening to a hall, the space wouldn't let one process scenes altogether. It is a happening place with less space to make things happen. 

On the thin platform right outside the main door was Saritha whose feet was covered with a plastic cover to avoid infections from the rain. Saritha didn't want to talk more about it, she is impatiently waiting for the food to be ready.

“We are taken care of by the corporation and Thozhi trust, and we can’t give further details about us, you should ask Thilothama, our agency head. We are bored and tired with the rain and media interviews. You write that in your article, okay? Catherine said, stretching her hands to the shelves to get plates for all.