The paradoxical life of hijiras

[Natasha]

The paradoxical life of hijiras

http://www.radionetherlands.nl/specialseries/amsterdam-india-festival/081118-amsterdam-india-festival
Paddy Maguire
11/18/2008

As part of the Amsterdam India Festival the art director at Lloyd Hotel has brought a group of hijiras, India's third sex or transgender community, out of India for the first time. Traditionally occupying a respected space in Indian society, this ethnic group now finds itself marginalised by society and more often than not forced in to sex work to keep themselves going.

Laxsminarayan Tripathi is a 28 year old hijira, and the 'mamma', or mother, of this group of Mumbai-based hijiras. Laxsmi explained that because of these changes in society, life for hijiras in India is paradoxical.