By Prema Chowallur

Guwahati: About 100 transgender people attended a rally in Assam to seek acceptance and respect from wider society.

The All Assam Transgender Association organized the rally, titled “Transgender Pride,” at Guwahati, the commercial capital of the northeastern Indian state. Transgender community members from Guwahati Metro and rural areas attended the February 25 rally.

Swati Vidhan Brouah, an advocate who led the rally said the Transgender community came to the forefront of society to plead for recognition as the third gender with due respect. “We are not born to beg, we are not just born to dance in parties and religious ceremonies. We have human dignity and right to live as an accepted gender in the society,” she told the participants.

She also asked the community to work for their dignity and therefore stop indulging in begging and other activities that they have been involved for long.

Santa Khurai, a transgender activist from Manipur, encouraged the community to assert for their rights and equality. “We are the citizens of India and have the right to vote and to entitlements,” she said.

The rally carried placards and raised slogans.

Sr. Prema Chowallur of Purvanchal Pragriti Samaj, a social service society that works among transgender people, also addressed the rally. The Maria Bambina sister quoted South African leader Nelson Madela to say, “The moment to bridge the chasm that divides us has come.”

She said her center would collaborate with other likeminded organizations to support the transgender community. They will motivate the community and train them in various skills to start a decent living.

The rallyists danced and sang as they moved through the streets of Guwahati, the commercial capital of Assam.

Samuel Sangama, from “Love Guwahati,” told the rallyists, “We are with you in solidarity and support you in your fight for dignity and right.”

The community requested the Indian Railway to stop violence against transgender.

Others who joined the rally were Maria Bambina Sisters Betsy and Alice from Women Development Centre, and Tumera Sangma from “Love Guwahati.”