by JULIE MCCARTHY and RUPAM JAIN NAIR
June 17, 2014 4:57 PM ET
Members of India's transgender community, known as hijras, are now the stars of an entertaining advocacy campaign aimed at persuading India's motorists to buckle up.
The Seatbelt Crew, as the Mumbai-based hijras are known, has taken to the streets of the country's financial capital to cajole motorists to strap themselves in. Indian roads are treacherous and according to the World Health Organization only 27 percent of drivers wear a seat belt even though it's mandatory.
A familiar sight on Indian streets, hijras were recently recognized as part of a third gender in a landmark ruling by the country's Supreme Court. They can be found wending their way through traffic-choked roads, in their eye-catching saris and makeup. They alternate between flirtation and aggression begging for money.
More:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/parallels/2014/06/17/323026150/indias-transgender-community-turns-seat-belt-safety-into-video-hit
